Chance
by JediOfTheSea23
Summary: In a rape-homicide investigation, all the evidence points to a girl whose DNA proves she is Liv's half-sister. After the girl becomes victimized herself, the detectives are forced to make a choice: go with the evidence, or follow their hearts.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I own none of the characters. Except Taylor. I do own her!

"I ran the name from the card. Four matches. One belongs to the owner of the card, and the other three are just partial matches.

"What's our girl in the system for?"

"Taylor Emerson. 17. She got emancipated last year. No criminal record, she's only in the system because of the emancipation, but this isn't our victim. Emerson is Caucasian and just moved to New York three weeks ago …But Elliot, we may have a bigger problem." Warner slid the lab results to the detective.

Elliot skimmed the document. "She's…."

"Looks like it. Where's Olivia?"

"She left ten minutes ago to collar that Mathews guy. Melinda…are you absolutely sure?"

"Well, one could be a coincidence, but all three? When did Marsden get out of prison?"

"18 years ago. This is..wow. I need to go talk to the Captain."

Elliot left the medical examiner's office confused. Late last night a young college student was found dead, raped and bludgeoned to death. There was nothing on the girl, not a stich of clothing, but in her mouth was a black visa card. Not only did the card not belong to the victim, it was registered to a girl whose DNA matched Simon and Paul Marsden, and Olivia Benson.

Elliot explained everything to the Cap., who just shook his head.

"Alright. I want you and Munch to go pick up this Emerson girl. Bring her down here and see if she can tell us why her credit card was in the mouth of a rape victim. When Liv gets back, see if she knows anything about this."

"Cap, I'm sure she –"

"She knew about Simon, and didn't tell you. How do you know she didn't know about this girl? Ask her. And you better pray that your partner didn't help another fugitive."

"Miss Emerson?" A young girl stood in the doorway and nodded, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her chocolate brown eyes widened at the sight of the detectives' badge. Elliot's heart almost broke. He felt like he was looking at America's Sweetheart. There was no way this girl was capable of murdering another person. "I'm detective Stabler and this is detective Munch. We're investigating a homicide in the area. "Can you tell us where you were around 11:00 last night, Miss Emerson." The girl looked alarmed, and then smiled.

"I was here last night."

"Do you recognize this girl?" Munch pulled a photo of the victim out of his jacket. The girl gasped and darted her eyes away.

"No."

"Well, then maybe, you can tell us why your visa was found stuffed in her mouth."

The girl frowned but didn't answer the question. the two detectives looked at each other

"Ma'am we're going to need you to come down to the station" Munch took her by the arm and led her out of the apartment.

"I told you. I lost my card when I moved here. She must have found it" The girl was adamant.

The Captian and Cabot watched Elliot and Munch interrogate the girl.

"She hardly looks like a killer" Cabot eyed the girl.

"You moved here three weeks ago, correct?"

"Yes"

"And that's when you lost your card?"

"Yes."

"Then why'd you only report it missing two weeks ago?"

"I….I thought it would turn up. I figured it was in one of the boxes or something. I'm not the most organized person, I lose things all of the time. I wasn't worried when I couldn't find it at first."

"Black Visa. How does a young girl like you afford that?"

Emerson's cheeks reddened and she looked down.

"Hmmm? Where'd you get all of your money?"

"It's old money. Family money."

"Right. And this girl, steals it from you. She needed to be punished."

Emerson looked up and locked Stabler in a steely glare. "Yes, but I hardly think murder is the appropriate punishment." Emerson's eyes softened, the hint of a smile returning to them, "This is really different than I expected."

Stabler looked at Munch, he seemed equally perplexed. "What?"

"This," the girl waved her hand, motioning the interrogation room, "Is a lot different than what they show us in the movies. It's kind of a letdown actually. I didn't even get my Miranda Rights."

Munch scoffed, "Those are only read once you're under arrest."

"Ah. Well. This has been fun, but unless you're going to charge me with the murder of this girl, I'm going to leave" Emerson rose and walked towards the door.

"Ah ah, sit back down; we're not done with you yet. It says here," Munch indicated to the girls' record, "That you've had a recent name change."

"I changed my name over a year ago…"

"Why?"

"I changed it when I got emancipated."

"Why is that? What was wrong with your old name?"

"I wanted my mother's name."

"What was wrong with your father's?" The girl looked straight at the door. All signs of amusement now gone.

"Why'd you change your name? Huh, Taylor? What were you hiding? What were you planning?" Stabler got uncomfortably close to the girl.

"I-I Just wanted..my mother's name, I never knew my father." The girl was flustered. She could feel her face and neck heating up and wished she were anywhere but the interrogation room. She began to drum her fingers against the table. She swallowed, and her stomach growled. She'd only been there fifteen minutes but she felt that it had been days. "I..can I go?"

"Get up. Let's go" Stabler stood the girl up and cuffed her.

"Wait.." Taylor jerked away from Stabler. "What did I do?"

"You tell us." With that Stabler marched the girl out of the small room and into the tombs.

"You can't leave me in here…" The desperation in the girls voice was almost enough to make Stabler un cuff her and deliver her back to her apartment. Almost. The detective locked the door and made his way back to Munch, who was in a rather heated discussion with Cabot and the captain.

"You go and unlock that girl, immediately" Cabot snapped at Elliot.

"Alex we caught a suspect! Her visa lodged in the victim's mouth!"

"The only thing you caught was a lawsuit. That girl you just locked up is a straight A AP student from Texas. She knows nothing more about the murder than you do. Now, if you want to avoid any more trouble than you're already in, I suggest you go unlock her."

"Alex, no. Have you seen the photos of that girl? We can't let a possible suspect free."

"Possible suspect? The only evidence you have is her old visa card. Her prints weren't even on it. She lost it weeks ago, and reported it missing, just like she told you. Do you have any idea how much money this girl has? She can afford to have all of our asses handed to us on a silver platter. Go let her out. Now.

Stabler was fuming, but obliged.

Olivia watched the girl walk out of the station. She couldn't help but notice her dark eyes, so much like her own. She couldn't believe she had another half-sibling. She almost didn't believe it, but the everything matched. 18 years ago her "father" was released from prison. The month afterwards there was a rape reported in El Paso, Texas. The MO and the women's description of the attacker fit Marsden to a T. Unfortunately, the women was a drug addict, a crack whore, and was unable to testify. Marsden had a solid alibi, and there was no way the jury was going to believe this boozed out, drugged up woman who had a rap sheet four feet long. So, there was no trial, and no justice. Benson's thoughts were interrupted, "Liv, there's been another murder."


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Dick Wolf owns everything.

Chapter Deux.

"Female. 23. White. Almost exactly the same as yesterday's victim. This guy is striking fast and he's striking hard. We need to find him."

"This is one sick bastard... time of death?"

"Well, I'd say around 9:00-9:30 this morning."

Stabler ran a hand over his face. " I guess we can rule the Emerson girl out. She was with us until ten. Anything useful."

"Well, unlike our last girl, she had nothing in her mouth, but she did have a pair of shoes. O'Halloran took them to the lab, they're being processed right now. Other than that she was completely naked."

Benson looked down at the ravaged body until Warner zipped up the body bag. Although she would never admit it, all of the blood and gore still got to her. She always had to suppress the urge to vomit at particularly gruesome crime scenes like this one. She looked away and then addressed her partner. "Let's head down to the lab and see if they got anything off of the shoes."

"The shoes are clean. No prints, but the shoes have obviously been worn before, and no blood. So I'm guessing our guy cleaned the shoes and slipped them on the vic. post mortem."

"And why would I guy do that?" Olivia inspected the teal Vans slip on for any blood, though she knew there was no way the lab could have missed any.

"Don't know. But look at this," O'Halloran turned both of the shoes over. There was a worn out piece of duct tape on the bottom of each one, with some black writing. "Two letters and a date. T.E…12/3/2011."

Stabler looked at Olivia. "T.E. Taylor Emerson." Olivia sighed. She and Elliot and the Cap. Talked about Emerson last night. Olivia was not to talk to Emerson about their relationship until after the investigation was over and this case was closed. Olivia agreed to her captain's decision easily. While she didn't regret connecting to Simon, the whole thing had only caused her trouble at first. Besides, her and Simon were around the same age. They grew up in the same era, they had stuff to talk about. Taylor was so young, young enough to be Olivia's daughter. She told herself that it would be too awkward exposing herself and Simon to Taylor. She didn't even know if Taylor knew her mother was raped. Hell, Olivia didn't even know that. The Texas case could have been pure coincidence. But the truth was, Olivia wanted nothing more than to tell Taylor, to get to know Taylor, introduce her to Simon, let her see her life. A family was so close, just in her grasp, but Olivia knew better than to even think about it. Taylor was a the main suspect in a double rape-homicide and Olivia was a cop. This was no time for a family reunion. Liv and Elliot went back to the squad room to tell the captain. Alex was there.

"You can go talk to her, and don't you dare cuff her. She might be a victim too." The captain ordered.

"And while you're there, please do try to apologize for her treatment yesterday" Alex piped.

"Why is Cabot so worried about this case? We've locked up suspects with far less evidence than what we had yesterday" Olivia asked Elliot as they made their way to a squad car.

"I don't know, apparently this girl is loaded in the money department. Alex is scared she might sue for yesterday." Olivia shook her head, and tried to act nonchalant, but she spent the rest of the ride wondering how her sister, and emancipated 17 year old could have so much in the bank to scare A.D.A. Cabot. Elliot pulled the car to a stop outside Taylor's building and turned to look at Liv. "You can talk to her as soon as we're done with the investigation." His partner had said nothing, but he knew she was dying to get to know Taylor. "But right now, we need to figure out why her shoes were on our latest victim" Liv smiled and they got in the elevator.

Elliot pushed 12.

"Penthouse." Liv raised her eyebrow.

Elliot knocked on the door three times. No answer. He raised a hand to knock again when the door opened. Taylor allowed the smile to melt away from her face before she could help it. The detectives could see her suppressing a sigh. "Taylor. You're not in any trouble. We just have a few questions to ask you."

"Do any of these questions involve handcuffs?" Taylor absently rubbed her wrists, where there were angry red marks where the metal bracelets had pinched her delicate skin. Stabler pulled out his handcuffs and set them on the counter. Benson followed suit.

"No cuffs. We promise." Taylor couldn't help but smile.

"How can I help you?" She called over her should as she lazily sauntered toward the back of the apartment. She sat on the sofa and pated the cushion next to her. Stabler could see he was forgiven for his actions yesterday. Olivia pulled out a picture.

"Well, there's been another killing, very similar to the one from yesterday. Do you recognize these?"

"Uhm.." Taylor's heart sped up. She debated lying, "I uhm. I have a pair like them" she decided against. Everyone told her she was a rotten liar.

"Mkay, and how about this?" Benson showed her the picture of the overturned shoe with the tape.

Taylor flushed and began picking and a lose thread nervously. She couldn't believe this. How did they have pictures of her shoes. _Why _did they have pictures of her shoes? "Those are mine." She told the detectives quietly, "But, I didn't..I didn't…I don't know why you have that..I was.."Taylor's voice gained steadily. She knew she was close to tears.

"Taylor. I said, you're not any trouble. We know you didn't do this. Do you still have these shoes?"

" I thought. Let me go check." Taylor rose from the sofa and made her way out of the room.

"We've terrified her, perfect." Elliot and Liv looked around the room and waited for Taylor to return. It was furnished with dark cherry wood, and plush red sofas and chairs. Huge, elegant photographs of some oriental looking garden covered the walls.

"They're not there! But I swear I didn't do it! Please don't-" the detectives were rejoined by a rather hysterical Taylor. Olivia's heart almost broke.

"Taylor, we know you didn't do it. You were in our custody at the time of the murder. Please calm down, we honestly just came her to ask you questions." Taylor ran her hand through her hair and settled down on a chair across from the detective's sofa.

"Did you let anyone borrow these?"

"No."

"Has anyone ever asked you about them?"

"No."

"Okay, do you know anything about this tape."

Taylor laughed despite herself. "When I get a new pair of shoes, I put a strip of duct tape on the bottom and date it. I like to see how long it takes before it wears off." Taylor watched at the detectives to see how they would react to her quirky ritual. They both nodded and asked her a few more questions. Taylor answered the only half-heartedly. She was staring at Olivia. She knew she recognized her from somewhere. It was driving her crazy until Olivia spoke to her.

"Thanks for your time. Please call us if you remember anything" She handed Taylor her card and the detectives left. Taylor was instantly filled with fear. Two dead girls. One with her visa and the other with a pair of her shoes? Taylor was tempted to call the detectives back, but decided against it. She made her way to the kitchen and pulled out a pack of Ramen. She wasn't in the mood to cook tonight. While the water was boiling she went throughout the penthouse apartment and locked all of the windows. She began to regret buying such a large apartment. It was quite ridiculous, really, she scolded herself. When the emancipation process was finished, she just couldn't help herself. She had access to more money than she knew what to do with. A few weeks before she turned 17 she applied to LaGuardia High School in New York. She never really believed she would get in, but it was the one dream that kept her alive and breathing. Her acceptance letter came a few days after the emancipation. She packed up her little possessions and moved to New York. A new place, a fresh start. And it was a fresh start, the first two weeks. But now, with all of this murder business she thought maybe it was a stupid idea. _No no no. _She shook that thought from her head. She was in New York! In the fall she would be attending the art school of her dreams. She laughed at herself while she ate her noodles.

Taylor groaned when she heard her phone chime at her. Forgetting she didn't have an alarm set she rolled over and grabbed it. A new text blinked on the screen. **you're prettier than your mother**. Taylor frowned. It was from an unknown number so she chalked it up to being a prank text. She dropped her phone down to the carpet, and decided to worry about in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I own nothing.

Chapter tres.

Taylor woke up Friday morning feeling refreshed. She'd forgotten about the text from last night, and felt more carefree than she had in a long time. While she was showering she felt even more worries melt away. She was in New York. She shivered with delight as she thought of the new life her emancipation brought her. After she finished her morning routine she grabbed her camera and headed towards Central Park. In the back of her mind Taylor new she was making a mistake. She was so naïve at times, thinking nothing could harm her, not letting anything ruin her cheerful mood. Whenever presented with a problem, Taylor just waited until it worked itself out. And that's what she was doing with this murder situation. She stopped at the small fruit market on the way to the park that she had begun to frequent. She picked out her banana and pear and walked over to the cash register.

"What are you smiling about today?" The old man behind the register smiled warmly at her. This had become a daily ritual for them. Taylor would buy breakfast and the man would ask her why she was happy that day.

Taylor motioned to the Canon around her neck. "Today, I am going to be a tourist and take pictures of central park."

"That's quite the camera."

"Ha. It is!"

"Bye Taylor" She slipped him a five and made her way out of the door. She shivered for the second time that morning. Something didn't seem right. Taylor shrugged it off and made her way to the park.

Taylor sat in a rundown café that reeked of coffee and pot, and sipped a green tea. Her phone chimed. **you're prettier than your sister.** Taylor choked and dropped her tea. Her heart sped up. Unknown, restricted number again. But now Taylor knew someone had to be messing with her. She didn't have a sister. But still, the text unnerved her. She figured it was from the same person who texted her last night, but couldn't do much about it. Tay was not tech-savy in the least and had no idea how to decipher a blocked number. She briefly considered calling one of the detectives but decided against it. The last thing she needed was to give them another reason to pin the two murders on her. The two murders. Taylor avoided thinking about them, it creeped her out too much. She couldn't shake the feeling that it was mean to be her. Or maybe someone was trying to warn her? Threaten her? No. She wouldn't herself dwell on this. The detectives would handle it. No one would want to hurt her, she had no enemies, and even if she did they were hundreds of miles away in Texas. Right? It suddenly dawned on Taylor why she felt uneasy after the fruit market

_Bye Taylor_

Had she ever told the old man her name? She'd only ever paid with cash, since her card was stolen…No, she must've told him sometime. Must have let it slip.

"Uhhh ma'am..?"

Taylor jerked her head up. A pimple faced kid was standing by her table with a rag in hand. She looked down, the tea spilt tea was now dripping on to the floor.

"Sorry!" She grinned.

Pimple face perked up, "Aww it's fine baby, I'll clean it up and then we—"

"Thanks! I needa go" Taylor gave him a smile and slight wave and rushed out. She didn't know why she felt so alarmed, but she wanted to get back to her apartment as soon as possible.

"El, that was Warner. They found something on the shoe." El rose to his feet. "No, she's on her way here." Melinda soon entered the squad room, her hands full of papers.

"We ran more tests on the shoes, there's something here on the inside of the heel. I couldn't tell what it was at first, it's such a small sample, but I worked on it all afternoon. It's a fruit spray. It's applied to fruit to give it more of a shine. Now, there's tons of that type of product, but this one is special, It's almost all natural tree sap, just a hint of vegetable oil. It's trademarked by NatureFine."

"So…"

"So, it's expensive. It wouldn't have come from a normal grocery store or market. Places like that use the cheap hazardous stuff."

"Alright. So the guy we're looking for is a health freak?"

"Or he works at a place that sells locally grown food. You're probably looking for a person who frequents a small fruit mart or something like that."

"Liv, check this out. I ran the sample Warner gave us against locally grown fruit markets, and came up with this. The Fruit Shack. They pride themselves on using this stuff, and even have it on sale."

"Oookay, but tons of people have access to it then."

"Yes, but look at this. The Fruit Shack is walking distance from Taylor's apartment, and," Elliot scrolled down, "Look who the shack's registered to. One Paul Marsden."

Liv's breath caught in her throat. "But…He was in South America, I thought?"

"I did too. But look at this. He came back about a month ago, and invested in this business." Liv sighed.

"El..do you think he's going after her?"

"I don't know." Elliot said quietly. He knew this case had opened a can of worms. He remembered something quickly though, he knew he shouldn't it, but he brought it to Olivia's attention, "Liv..when John and I were questioning her…we asked her about her father. She pretty much shut down. We asked her why she changed her name and she said that she wanted her mother's name and that she never really knew her father, but I could tell she was lying."

"You..think she knows Marsden? Was that her old last name?"  
>"I don't know, that record is blocked, but yes, we got the impression that she knew her father..or at least knew what he did. Maybe you should talk to her."<p>

"But you know what the Cap. said. This can't be another Simon."

"Liv, it won't be. Everyone though Simon was guilty. We know Taylor isn't. There's no way you could get in trouble for this. Taylor might know something big. Please, just find out why she lied to us. "

"I'll talk to her. But I'm just going to find out what she knows about Marsden. I'm not going to tell her about myself or Simon." Stabler nodded at his partner.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Everything belongs to Dick Wolf.

CHAPTER FOUR.

"Oh sweet baby Jesus…what now?" Benson could tell Taylor was joking, but there was some underlying anxiety. Benson tried to let her amusement show. She had to make Taylor believe that she knew that she lied about her father rather than just have suspicions.

"Miss Emerson, we need to talk."

"Oooh. Are we going to use formalities?" Taylor wagged her eyebrows and led the detective to the same room as last time.

"Taylor. Why did you lie to Detective Stabler about your father?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you didn't know who your father was. That's not true is it?"

"I.."

"We know who he is."

"You do?" Taylor meant it as a question, but it sounded like she just confessed something. She looked at the sofa, at the photographs on the wall, out the window, anywhere but Olivia.

"Hey. It's okay. Why'd you lie?" Still avoiding the detective's eyes Taylor tried to figure out how to answer. Olivia gently lifted the girl's chin, forcing her to look at her. Taylor jumped at the contact and quickly pulled away.

"I knew if I told you who he was you'd think it was me who killed those girls.."

"What? No we wouldn't have."

"I'm not stupid, detective." Olivia decided not to comment and just nodded.

"Have you had any contact with him recently?"

"No! I've never seen him in my life. Let alone recently. You think he did this, didn't you?"

"Are you defending him?"

"Jesus no! I just thought he was in South America, or something like that."

"We think he's back. And we're worried about you." Olivia let this information sink in. Maybe if Taylor understood the severity of the situation she would tell the detective anything she was holding back. Taylor couldn't even begin to register. She couldn't even believe it. Her "father" was back in America, raping and killing girls, and then planting Taylor's things on them. She almost vomited when she realized that he had to have have access to her apartment. When was he in there? Was he there when she was there? When she was sleeping? Was he there _now?_

"Oh God. Are you sure? You really think it's him? Oh God. Oh God. When was he in here? When did he take my shoes? Oh my God. What are we go—"

"Shhhh. Shh. Taylor. We're not even sure yet. He's just a suspect. However, whoever did do this, probably did break in. Does anyone else have access to this apartment?"

"No! I've not given my key to anyone, and I make sure everything's locked up before I leave. I don't know..Oh!" Realization dawned across Taylor's face; she perked up and started talking excitedly, "Last week, when I went to the Y, I changed into my swimsuit and flipflops. When I got home I realized that I forgot my Vans. I just figured they were in my gym locker, and I forgot about them. Maybe he wasn't in here! He found them at the gym! It's so hot in here.." Olivia frowned at that last statement and noticed the beads of sweat forming on Taylor's brow. Taylor got up and disappeared into the next room and Olivia hear the AC come to life. Liv watched as Taylor tripped and stumbled her way back to the sofa.

"Are..you okay?" The girl was fine a few minutes ago, Liv looked more closely. Her eyes were bloodshot , "Are you high?

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah yeah. I'm fiiiiine. Not high, don't be rediiiiculous…It's just so freaking hot in here!" Taylor's words slurred together and were barely intelligible. She got up again, swayed on her feet, and walked passed Olivia towards the window. She fumbled with the lock for a few minutes before Liv got up to help. With the window open, she took Taylor by the shoulders and directed her back to the sofa.

"You should sit down…what's wrong?" Taylor didn't respond, and started to fall over. Her head cracked against the coffee table before Liv could stop her.

"Jesus…Taylor, Taylor!" She laid the now unconscious girl on the sofa and radioed for a bus.

Taylor began groaning and wriggling on the sofa. "…it was…asshole".

"What? C'mon Taylor, stay with me. What happened?"

"Tha asshole. Hit me. And I cou.. said I was sorr…" Liv gave up trying to communicate with the girl and waited for the paramedics.

By the time the ambulance arrived, Taylor had been passed out for a good three minutes. They loaded Taylor on to the bus and Liv followed, explaining what had happened to the EMT. They were a few blocks away from the hospital when Taylor let out a shriek.

"Oh God. It burns so bad! Please.." she started grabbing at a place right below her ribs, when she removed her fingers, they were covered in sticky, red blood. "Please!"

"Oh no.." the EMT quickly removed Taylor's dark shirt to find her torso covered in blood. He wiped her clean with a cloth, but found no wound.

Benson looked on in shock, as the EMT searched for a source of blood. "Here" He pressed the cloth down on what appeared to be a needle sized hole. He only lifted the cloth when they reached the E.R., and found a large bruise forming around the point. "She was injected with something, " The EMT called out to the others and Taylor was rushed into a room. She was no longer making any noises, and just laid lifelessly on her gurney.

"Ma'am you're going to have to wait over there" A nurse pushed Olivia aside and left her to worry. Olivia called Elliot and waited. Not five minutes later the same nurse came back out and took Olivia to Taylor.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes. We stabilized her easily. Her organs are all in great shape as well. She wasn't injected with anything lethal. It was mean to hurt her, not kill her. "

"Do you know what she was injected with?"

"Right now it could be any number of things. We'll have to do more tests to figure out one specifically. Did she say how it happened?"

"No..she just started sweating and stumbling around and passed out..wait..she said someone ran into her, I think. I couldn't really tell, she was slurring her words."

"Hmm. She should be awake in a few hours. She had a large dosage of the drug, so it might take longer than that."

Liv made her way to the front of the hospital and signaled a Taxi down. She wanted to be there when Taylor woke up, but there really was no point in sitting at the hospital with nothing to do for a "few hours". She got back to the precinct to see Cabot talking with the Cap and Elliot.

"Liv." El saw before the others and waved his hand. "C'mere. We have a problem."

Another murder.

"What happened?" Elliot explained everything. Another body was found. This time just a few blocks away from Taylor's apartment. The exact same as the others. A disposable camera was found clutched in the victim's hands, again, inserted post mortem. They had the film developed and Elliot showed her the pictures. They were all of Taylor. Taylor laughing at something, Taylor drinking a coffee, Taylor stepping into the shower, Taylor driving, Taylor going into The Fruit Shack…

"There's more. The perp left something else behind. Her fingerprint. The camera belongs to Taylor." The cap. watched Liv carefully.

"She..wow…but how would she photograph herself?"

"She's going to LaGuardia on a photography and visual arts scholarship. She knows how to handle a camera. If you notice, not both of her hands are visible in any of these pictures. And none of them are more than a few feet away. A disposable camera doesn't have that kind of zoom."

"Wow. She just seems so innocent."

"I know. She tricked us all. Especially with that second death. Warner could have been wrong about the time of death or she got someone to do it for her. I want her arrested." Cabot looked at Olivia and continued, "Where is she now?"

"She's still at the hospital. Are you guys sure? What time did this girl die?"

"Warner says around 11:00 p.m. last night"

"Okay, so let's say Taylor is guilty. Why would she leave those things on the victim that point directly to her? Does she even have a motive?"

"I talked to Dr. Huang earlier this morning. Taylor did know about her father. She probably didn't get much love from her mother. We did some digging, and found that her grandmother wrote her mother out of her will after she lapsed back into drugs a few years after Taylor was born. The grandma was too sickly to take care of Taylor, so she just left the entire family fortune to her. That explains the money; Taylor got access to all of it when she was emancipated. This brings us to motive. The girl was, in a sense, alone all of her life, is miserable, and then gets accepted to this highly prestige school in New York. She gets excited, moves all the way over here, and thinks her life is finally going to improve, but then she's still alone."

"..and so she kills the girls and plants evidence pointing to herself…all to get our attention?"

"Huang thinks so. I'm inclined to agree with him."

"Well, is she psychotic?"

"No. Just lonely. Cuff her."

"Wait, what about the injection? And Marsden?" Stabler questioned. He still wasn't ready to believe that girl was capable of the murders.

"She probably injected herself. Didn't the doctor say it wasn't lethal? She was trying to throw us off. As for Marsden-"

Olivia cut the A.D.A. off, "She said she had never seen Marsden. She didn't know he was the owner of the Fruit Shack. I'll go see if she's awake."

Olivia turned on her heel and made her way back to the hospital. She couldn't believe this. The girl seemed so innocent, so unassuming. Could she really be so cold-blooded. When Liv entered the hospital room, Taylor was still out cold. She pulled her right arm from underneath the sheet and cuffed her to the railing.

"Detective, we were just about to call you. We found a match. Like I said, nothing lethal. She should be waking any minute."

"I'll be in the waiting room".


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Everything belongs to Dick Wolf.

Chapter 5

This chapter will be in Taylor's point of view. Also, for this story's intents and purposes, Novak is going to be a defense attorney. She has no ties to the SVU unit.

My head hurt. Really bad. That's the only thing I could think about. I sighed and opened my eyes, memories from earlier that day flooded back to me. I pulled my arms up to stretch. When I saw I was cuffed. That bitch. I reached over and grabbed the call button. I pushed it. Nothing. Push. Nothing. Push. Push. I held it down. An agitated nurse came in.

"Oh you're up! I feel sorry for you, hon." She came over and checked my vitals and poured me a cup of water. "I think you're going to be just fine" She chirped and left. I struggled against my restraints. I gave up and flopped back down when the door opened. In sauntered that traitor. I stared at her. I shook my cuffed arm.

"What is this?"

"Taylor Emerson. You're under arrest for aggravated sexual assault and murder. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

I stared open mouthed at her. "Are..are you kidding me? This is why I didn't tell you about him. I knew you people would do this." She narrowed her eyes and walked closer to me.

"This isn't about your father. This is about you and those girls you murdered. The nurse says you're fine. Let's go." She unhooked me, and pulled me out of bed. Manhandled me, really. I pulled away from her. 

"I don't like to be touched." She took me by the arm and lead me out of the hospital. We got in the car and she drove to the station. They took my cell phone and keys. And threw me back into that horrid room. They were going to play this way, that was fine. I'd play back. I tried being patient and kind. I answered every tedious, insolent question they had. I played nice. Now I was just seeing red. The guy detective came in and sat uncomfortably close to me.

"You did so well. You had us all eating out of the palm of your hand. But it's over now." He moved his face so close to mine, our noses were touching. I shoved my chair back. "What's wrong? You got what you wanted, now give me what I want. Why'd you do it? Was it really just for the attention?" Attention? What the hell was he talking about?

"Answer his question, Taylor." Oh great. She's back.

"Tell me why I'm here"

"I told you. Sexual assault and murder" The detective's eyes bore into mine. I let out a huge audible sigh.

"What are you going on about?" My head swam. I hadn't showered since my little fainting episode and I felt gross. I also hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning and felt extremely weak. The detectives laid five photos on the table before me. My breath caught in my throat. I was wearing something different in each one; whoever took them had been following me for the past week. I looked up at the detectives, not knowing what they wanted me to say.

"Your little game is up." My game? What on earth were they talking about?

"You think I took these?" I couldn't have. "How could I have?" I pointed to second photo, it was looking in on me in the driver's seat of a car, "How could I have taken this?"

"You're a talented girl. You can pull off some camera tricks, hm?" Stabler licked his lips and leaned against the table. I glared at him and resisted the urge to give him the finger. I felt trapped. I expected someone to burst in with a camera, tell me I was being punk'd, something, anything. There was no way these people were serious.

"Someone's been stalking me, stolen my things and injected me with God knows what, and murdered three girls, and you're trying to pin it on me! I want a lawyer."

"I'm going to have to give it to the detectives, this does look bad. But I've saved cases far more helpless than this one…" Helpless? I stared at the stout woman that just came sweeping into the interrogation room. "Don't you worry, Taylor," She placed a chubby hand on my shoulder, "I'm going to clear your name," I shrugged her off, "And make those detectives wish they'd never met either of us." She sat down in the chair across from me and rummaged around in her briefcase. She produced a paper, "This is our ticket, I'm sure of it." She read from the paper and started babbling some nonsense about self-incrimination and suspect rights. Then it dawned on me, this woman clearly thought I was guilty, but planned on defending me anyway.

"Wait a minute. You never even asked me if I did it." She patted my hand condescendingly and went back to her document. "Get out."

"Taylor, dear, let's be reasonable. I can help yo-"

"Now." I stood from the table and walked to the mirror, sure there were people on the other side.

"I want Casey Novak."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: You know the rap. Dick Wolf owns all.

Chapter 6

"What is she doing?" Alex frowned at the conversation that was taking place on the other side of the window. "Why isn't she dropping the act? Where's Huang" Cabot turned to go find the doctor when Taylor got up and walked towards the window.

"I want Casey Novak." Alex groaned. Out loud. Which is something she never did, but she found she couldn't hold it back.

"What? What's wrong?" Stabler questioned the visibly agitated D.A.

"Novak is possibly the BEST defense attorney in this state. She can take a no-brainer case, one with DNA and eye witnesses, a confession even, and twist everything up. She makes the jury believe that her client is no doubted innocent and makes the cops out to be fools. Every time. The woman has something like a 98% success rate."

"Well, how come we've never heard of her? It sounds like some of the perps that come through here could have used her." Benson doubted the woman was really as good as Alex made her out to be.

"She's good and she knows it. She's expensive. Very, very expensive." The lawyer Taylor fired huffed and waddled out of the room, avoiding everyone's eye. Alex shook her head and made her way to her office.

"Casey Novak. Where's my client?" The detectives and the A.D.A led Novak the room Taylor was being held in. Novak greeted her client warmly and sat down to face the others, waiting for them to make the first move.

"We have more than enough evidence to put her away for the last murder. When the Jury sees, she'll be charged with all three."

"Except the one that was committed while she was in your custody, Ms. Cabot." Alex's face burned at her mistake. She felt so inferior around Novak. While she had a disdain for any defender, she had to respect this woman. Taylor tried to listen to the conversation that took place before her, but she couldn't make herself focus. There was something missing. These things were all connected together, she knew it. If she could just have time to think, get someone to listen to her, she could…

"The text message!" The lawyers stopped their debate and all eyes were on Taylor.

"What text message?" Benson leaned in, eager to see what the girl was talking about.

"I got tw-"

Novak placed a hand on her clients arm and shot her a sharp glance.

"Hush."

It was painfully obvious that Novak was not about to let Taylor explain the text message, or anything else for that matter.

Alex stood up and straightened her jacket. "Arraignment is first thing tomorrow." The detectives followed her and allowed Novak to speak to her client privately.

"Can we get a warrant for her phone records?"

"We can try." Alex excused herself and made a beeline for her office. She needed to get straight to work on this case. She could tell it was going to pull everyone through the ringer.

"How'd arraignment go?" Neither detective was able to make it; they were both up to their necks on a month's worth of neglected paperwork.

"Bail was set at one million. She'll be out my noon." Alex was visibly tired and upset. "Novak's found our weak link, and she plans on driving a stiletto into it."

"What's our weak link?"

"The second murder. It has the same type of evidence as the first two, but it had to be planted since Emerson was still in the tombs. Of course Novak's going to say that's the same case with the other two. And she's made a _very _convincing argument. She's got that judge wrapped around her finger. I'll be very surprised if I'm able to get a warrant for her phone records." Benson dropped her head into her hands.

"What are we going to do?"

"Talk to Taylor" All three heads turned to see Huang approaching them. " Cragen told me how interrogation went. It seems to me that she was angry that no one would listen to her, not the murder accusation itself. Go to her apartment and see if she's willing to explain what she said about the texts in exchange for a reduced sentence. I may have been wrong earlier. I've never seen anyone like Taylor fire their lawyer like that."

Alex shook her head, "So now you're saying she's innocent."

Huang nodded once. "She maybe. I don't know. It's worth a shot. But you or Liv should go. She's not responding well to Elliot."

Liv couldn't believe her ears. Was there a chance Taylor wasn't guilty? "I'll go."

Olivia knocked on Taylor's door twice. Taylor opened it and frowned at Olivia.

"I'll call Casey. You can't do this." No pleasantries this time. Liv raised her hands.

"Look. No badge, no gun. This is completely off the record. Can I please come in?" Taylor made no effort to stifle her sigh, but opened the door wider for the detective.

"Taylor, I know you're upset with me right now, but you need to tell me if you know anything, anything at all about what happened to those girls."

"Of course I know what happened to them. I killed them remember?" Taylor obviously wasn't going to make this easy on the detective.

"I'm not here to accuse you of anything. We can work out a deal. Tell us about the texts."

Taylor raised her chin haughtily. "Casey Novak is defending me. You really think I need a deal?"

"Perhaps you don't. But do you really want your record to show that you were accused of sexual assault and murder? Colleges and job managers won't care who represented you in court or if you got off or not."

Taylor seemed to consider that. "You can really make this whole thing disappear?" Liv smiled in response.

Taylor knew she shouldn't say anything without Novak there, but she trusted the detective. Plus, this was all off record. She took a breath.

"It's the guy at the fruit mart. I know it."

"He sent you the texts?"

"He did everything."

"Okay, can you tell me what they said?"

"I got two. The first one said 'you're prettier than your mother' and it was from a restricted number. I didn't think much of it. Then I got one that said 'you're prettier than your sister'. And I just assumed that someone had the wrong number then, because I don't have a sister. But then I remembered the guy at the fruit stand. They day after I got the first text, he called me Taylor. I'd never told him my name."

Olivia listened to Taylor speak intently. Her jumped when she explained the sister text. Taylor's words echoed in Liv's ears. _I don' have a sister. _Liv wanted nothing more than to stop Taylor and explain. But she knew she couldn't. Taylor finished her speech and looked at Liv, trying to see if she would believe her.

"So you think it's the man who works at the fruit place."

Taylor answered 'yes' even though it wasn't a question.

"Because he knew your name. Are you sure you never told him? Never paid with a credit card?"

"No. I only ever paid in cash. My card was elsewhere…"

"Is it possible that anyone could have told him?"

"I moved here from across the country three weeks ago. I don't know a soul here. The only people who know my name are at your precinct." Olivia carefully considered this new information. She had to admit, Taylor had a point about the name thing; it was weird. And so were the text messages. They were worrisome to say the least. And suddenly Olivia remembered. Marsden. He owned the Fruit Shack. He'd known Taylor's name. He must have sent the text messages. He had to have. Suddenly Olivia saw Taylor in a new light. She wasn't a cold blooded, attention seeking killer. She was a victim.

"Taylor, tell me one more thing. Have you ever seen your father?"

"No..He and my mom..uh..they didn't work out." Liv nodded.

"I need to leave now. You've been such a great help. I'm going to go talk to A.D.A. Cabot. If we need you to, will you come down and tell her and Stabler what you just told me?"

"Yeah."


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I own nothing.

Chapter 7

Olivia returned to the station and told everyone what Taylor told her. Cabot rubbed her face. This case was proving much more than she originally expected. "If we go ahead and charge Emerson using the DNA evidence Novak will tear me to pieces in court. She'll point out the stalking and the theft and the poison and claim that we took no action to protect this girl. We'll all be in trouble. And I think we all agree-Emerson is innocent. But, if we drop the case and word gets out that she's Liv's sister…well we all remember what happened with Simon.."

"I have to agree with Cabot," the captain turned to Liv, "This is the type of stuff IAB lives for. If we drop the charges on this girl they'll be crawling up our asses"

"So what do we do?"

"I can probably get the trial put off for a week or so. Find something other than the fruit spray to link these to Marsden. Drill the Emerson girl; find out where she was for the third murder. And bring her down here to make an official statement about those texts."

"Stabler, you and Munch need to go pick up Marsden. Fin bring Emerson in here to take her statement."

"I'll go find Novak. Fin, don't let her talk without us." Cabot left.

Cragen then turned to Olivia. "Not a word to Marsden. Not a word to Emerson about Marsden. Make sure they're not in the room together. Have you told the girl anything?"

"No captain I would neve-"

"Let's keep it that way. You can stay on this case, but only to clear Emerson. You are not to say anything to Marsden. Am I clear?"

"Crystal."

Novak and Taylor reviewed her statement before Fin took it. The attorney allowed her to say the exact same thing she said to Liv in the apartment. Liv and Cabot joined them.

"We'd like to talk about the day you were poisoned, Miss Emerson. If you cooperate we're willing to lessen or even dismiss the charges." Novak nodded her head. She and Taylor had already been over that, she knew the story would make Taylor seem even more innocent.

"Okay, when we were in the apartment right before you passed out you said something about someone running into you. Can you tell me about that?"

"I was walking home from a café I'd stopped out. Some guy was walking really fast towards me, I moved to get out of his way but he swerved and rammed into my shoulder. Hard. I fell down."

"Did you feel him inject you?"

"No. But I know it was him."

"Did you feel any stinging? Like you were just given a shot?"

"My rib area was sore. I thought it was just from the fall. But after a few minutes I was fine."

"When was this?"

"Like thirty minutes before you showed up at my apartment."

"Where were you coming from?"

"I told you. Some café."

"How long were you there?"

"Twenty five, thirty minutes maybe."

Benson looked up at Cabot. If Taylor was were she said she was, she couldn't have killed the last girl. Novak smiled smugly, she knew the this case was falling apart with the quickness.

"Is there anyone who can vouch for you? Did you talk to anyone there?"

"I think they'll remember me. I spilled tea everywhere."

Benson updated the Captain and her partner. Emerson's alibi checked out. She was only unaccounted for the first murder.

"We have absolutely no case against this girl. If we're lucky, she won't file a suit against us."

"So all of that evidence was really planted?" Stabler still seemed suspicious.

"It appears so. I'm dropping the charges." Cabot left to meet with Novak and her client.

"Okay, I want Emerson sent home and a patrol car placed outside of her building. Elliot have you and Munch gotten anywhere with Marsden?"

"Actually..we couldn't find him. I talked to some of the employees at the Fruit Shack. He didn't go in today, he wasn't home, and his closets were empty."

"That is just wonderful. You and Munch find Marsden. But people, let's keep this quite. We've already done enough damage. The last thing we need is the rat squad making things worse. Liv, take Emerson home. Make sure her apartment's safe." The detectives set off to follow their captain's orders.

The ten minute ride back to Taylor's apartment was awkward to say the least. All Liv wanted to do was tell Taylor the truth. Explain to her about Marsden. Explain about Simon. About her. She wanted to get to know her. All Taylor wanted was to get out of that car. Get out of the car away from Liv, away from the murdered girls, away from everything. She wanted everyone to leave her alone and let her go to LaGuardia and be an art student. They made their way through the lobby to the elevators, Taylor in the lead, walking briskly. She wanted to get this over with. She knew that the detective was just making sure she was safe, but she felt as if her personal privacy had been invaded way too much this past week. Taylor angrily jabbed the 12 button, and the detective noticed her tense, defensive posture.

"We're just trying to keep you safe."

"I know that." Taylor snapped at Liv. Taylor unlocked and opened the door. Kitchen: Clear. Sitting room: Clear. Bathroom: Clear.

Bedroom: Taylor felt her heart stopped as she trailed the detective into her bedroom. Photos, magazine clippings, papers cluttered the floor. Taylor bent down and picked up the paper closest to her left foot.

**Han Dynasty V. Eastern Roman Empire: a comparative essay. **Taylor recognized it as an essay she'd written the previous school year. Her eyes then caught a photo that had been lying beneath the essay. She was looking at her thirteen year old self, covered in fake blood and dark makeup. Halloween.

"What the fuck…" Taylor's voice caught in her throat, she bent down to pick up another picture.  
>"Don't! Don't touch anything." Liv caught Taylor's hand and pulled her upright. Tears were swelling in the girl's eyes and began to spill over.<p>

"Why is he doing this to me? How did he get in? Where did he get this?" Liv took the now hysterical girl and led her to the sofa.

"Taylor. Taylor, I need you to calm down. Shh, shhh. Are you _sure_ no one else has a key."

"Nooo. No one does! I don't know how-I-I-I" Taylor was falling apart at the seams. She'd held herself together this long. Sticking it through, proving her innocence. But that was just the beginning. She was terrified.

"Okay, Taylor. We're going to go back in there and see if you recognize any of that stuff, okay? We're going to figure this out, I promise." All Taylor could do was nod. Liv pulled out a pair of gloves and slid them on. "Remember, don't touch a thing." Liv ventured back into the room while Taylor lingered in the doorway. Liv began sorting through the mess, picking out all of the pictures. "This is going to take forever." She pulled out her walkie "SVU to central, I need backup." She took a stack of photos to show Taylor. There were pictures of her from when she was three up until yesterday as she was leaving the police station.

"I've never seen those in my life." Her voice was horse.

"Okay how about these?" The detective held out a stack of what appeared to be schoolwork.

"Yeah..I mean it's all mine. But I didn't bring those with me. I haven't seen some of that stuff since freshman year." Taylor sounded more confused and unsure of herself than when she was in interrogation. She started shaking again. Liv surprised both of them and wrapped her into a tight hug. What was she supposed to do? Her _sister_ was breaking down right in front of her. "Why would anyone do this? Did the Fruit guy really do this?" Liv didn't want to think about it, but she knew it was Marsden. She remembered Simon showing her a newspaper clipping about her that her father had kept. But this was extreme. She knew that she would be disobeying her captain's orders, but she knew Taylor deserved an explanation.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: In case you already couldn't tell, Marsden is alive in this story. Oh, and I'm not sure of his first name, so I'm just sticking with "Paul." I own nothing.

Olivia lead Taylor to a small coffee shop across from her building and let CSU sort out the mess of her bedroom. The shop had one or two more customers and they settled into a booth towards the back.

"Taylor, I want you to tell me everything you know about your father." Liv wanted to see how much the girl already knew before breaking the news.

"Nothing."

"Do you know what he did?"

"He..my mom said that he.." Taylor stalled. She didn't want the detective to know. She didn't want anyone to know.

"Raped her." Taylor's head snapped up from her lap.

"How did you know that?" She embarrassment was temporarily replaced by curiosity.

"He's in our system. Your DNA was a match. I saw that he was accused of raping her."

"He really did. But, no one believed her." Taylor's voice was laced with indignation. "She wasn't lying about that."

Liv stretched out her hand and placed it on top of hers. "I know. And I know how you feel. I was the product of rape myself." The fact that Liv shared that with her shocked Taylor more than the news itself.

"Oh..I'm sorry." Taylor responded lamely. She never knew what to say in awkward situations like this.

"My mother was raped by Paul Marsden." Taylor jerked her hand out from underneath Benson's. She'd just shared her biggest secret, her biggest shame with this woman and she sat here mocking her.

"You think this is funny?" Taylor's voice had lowered to a deadly whisper. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"No!" Liv didn't know what to say. It never occurred to her that Taylor wouldn't believe her. "Taylor, I would never mock you. I understand what you've been through. I really do. Both of our moms were victims, Taylor. Victims of the same sick man." Liv's voice began to rise at the end of her speech, tying to convey her sincerity to her sister. A server on his way to take their orders nervously turned around and decided not to intrude on the seemingly intense conversation. Taylor was at a loss for words. Was this woman serious? Had her "father" raped her mom too? Were they really half sisters? No. A rapist just struck twice. That didn't make them sisters. Taylor scolded herself for even thinking that.

"Oh…kay." She didn't know what else to say.

"Okay?" Liv searched the girl's eyes, trying to figure out what she was thinking. Liv's phoned beeped with a text.

"That was my partner. They sorted everything out. It looks like there's four piles: books, magazine clippings, photos, and schoolwork. Do these things hold any significance to you?" She held out her phone to show Taylor the stack of books El forwarded to her. She nodded.

"Those are all my favorites." Taylor wasn't even shocked anymore. "But, I don't think they're mine. I would have noticed all of those missing from the bookshelves when we checked the living room." Liv nodded, her phone received another picture of five of the magazine clippings laid out.

"What about these? Are these special?" Taylor took the phone. Her heart leapt when she saw the picture. One clipping was an old ad for a Pentax K100: her first film camera, one was an editorial featuring Mumford & Sons: her favorite group. Another from Ikea, showing the kitchen she modeled her own after.

"My camera, my kitchen.." Taylor tried her hardest not to break down in sobs again. She felt like she'd done nothing but cry the past week. Maybe moving to New York wasn't such a brilliant idea after all.

"Taylor, we're going to catch this guy."

"My dad, you mean?"

"Well, so far we don't have much evidence pointing to him. And we believe he's on the run, but we're looking for him. And when we find him, Taylor, we'll find out why he's doing this to you."

"Have you ever talked to him?" Taylor's question took Liv by surprises. She had gotten the impression that Taylor wasn't going even acknowledge their connection.

"No.." Liv debated telling her about Simon. She knew she should wait, but it burst out, "But I've talked to his son."

"Hmm? How many woman did he rape?"

"Just two. I think. He tried to settle down and have a family, but that didn't work. He left when Simon was two. Simon never remembers having a conversation with him."

"Oh."

"We're going to be here for you, Taylor. If you want us to be."

"How come he's not doing this to you guys?" Taylor frowned petulantly, and then realized how that sounded. " I mean, I'm glad he's not. But why me?"

Liv sighed. "I know what you meant. I don't know? Maybe it was a lot easier to keep track of you? It would have been harder to keep tabs on me while I was growing up: different times, right?"

"Maybe." Taylor then let out a shaky laugh. Liv looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I don't know why I'm so upset. This could be a lot worse."

"You have every right to be upset."

"Yeah..but, things could be a _lot_ worse. I could be dead. Like those girls.." Taylor's smile faded. And her lips began to quiver, "Do you think it's my fault?" She looked at Olivia with pleading eyes. She hoped Liv didn't blame her, she didn't know why, but she wanted the detective's approval.

"No! It is in no way, shape or form you're fault. The man who did this is sick. No one blames you, and I don't want you blaming yourself either, alright?"

"He raped them too, didn't he? Oh my god. That could have been me. Do you think he's going to kill me too." The tears started again.

"No, no, no, honey," Liv's voice was uncharacteristically soothing, "He's not going to touch you. No one's going to hurt you. I promise." Liv's cell phone rang. She answered it and frowned. A server took the lull in the conversation as his cue and started over to the table. Liv waved him away, and hung up her phone. "That was detective Stabler. They think they may have a lead on Marsden. They found the murder weapon in his apartment and a clue as to where he may be headed. Do you have anyone you can stay with tonight?"

"No."

"Okay. Let's go arrange a safe home for you to stay in until this is over." Liv got to her feet and the girl followed suit.

"I can stay in my apartment. I don't want to have to go somewhere else. Can that cop just stay down there and keep guard?"

Liv turned to face Taylor and tried to make her understand how serious this was, "Taylor, first of all, we aren't completely sure who is responsible for all of this. Second of all, this same person who violently raped and killed three women somehow has access to your apartment. Third of all, you're a young girl living alone with no means of defense. You're not staying in your apartment tonight." Olivia's voice came out harsher than she intended, but the idea of Taylor staying alone tonight filled her with fear. "Please, please just cooperate. Let me find you somewhere safe to stay."Liv pleaded with the girl in a softer voice. With eyes wide, Taylor slowly nodded.

**Okay, this is all I have typed up so far. Do you guys like it? Or is it stupid? This story has just been floating around in my head for a while, so I wrote it down. Some parts were kind of hard to write, like the Liv/Taylor scenes, I feel some are kind of awkward to read, and I'm sorry for that xD**

**Thanks for your feedback!**


	9. Chapter 9

Unfortunately, I only own Taylor.

Chapter 9

Taylor and Liv went back to the apartment. Taylor was apprehensive about entering her bedroom, but Olivia assured her that it had been cleaned up and returned to normal. Taylor quickly packed an overnight bag, mindlessly stuffing clothes and cosmetic essentials into one bag. She was done in five minutes and went out to the kitchen to meet Liv.

"I just got off the phone with my captain. We've found you a hotel for you to stay at until we catch Marsden, or find another lead."Liv surveyed the girl and raised her eyebrows at the small bag. "Uhm, we're not sure how long this is going to take. You may want to bring more than that." Taylor let out a long exasperated sigh and walked over to the hall closet and heaved out a large suitcase with unnecessary force. She dragged the suitcase back to her room and threw more clothes in, not taking her time to fold them. Liv watched through the open door and sighed to herself, but didn't say anything. She was not about to deal with a teenage attitude. Taylor finished "packing" and walked back out to Liv and looked at her expectantly. "Okay, then. Are we all set?" No answer. "Let's go.."

The ride to the hotel was silent. Liv got Taylor checked in under a fake name and walked her to her room. Liv cleared her throat and used her detective voice, "There will be a patrol car outside the hotel at all times. We've given the people at the desk a photo of Marsden, and they're not to allow anyone to enter past the lobby unless they are guests. There are some rules for you too. You cannot leave unless you have an escort, do not allow anyone to borrow your key, and do not bring anyone up to your room. You got that?" Taylor nodded. "I mean it Taylor." She looked the girl in the eyes. She didn't think Taylor would do anything stupid like give someone her key or leave the safe place, but she couldn't be too sure. "If you follow the rules nothing bad is going to happen."

"I'll follow your rules!" Taylor finally broke into a smile. Liv smiled back and turned to leave.

"Please just…stay here." Liv called over her shoulder. Taylor sat down on the bed and looked around the room. It was small, but not too bad. She sighed and stretched out on top of the covers. As much this whole thing was stressing her out, she thought it was kind of fun. This was definitely the most exciting thing that had happened to her. Taylor fell into a light sleep and woke an hour later. She got up and began to unpack her things. She opened the small bag to reveal a huge sticky mess. Her shampoo had spilled all over the pajamas that she'd pack. "Fuck." She took the bag over to the bathroom sink and tried to save her pajamas from the shampoo. It turned into a foamy mess and she gave up. She figured she was just going to have to sleep in her clothes until she remembered passing a Gap on her way here. It was just a few blocks away. She'd be fine, right? No, she should stay here, like Liv said. Okay, she'd go get the police guy Liv talked about. Taylor walked outside of the hotel and looked around, but saw no patrol car. She considered going back inside and making do with what she had. But the more she thought about it, the sillier that seemed. Why should she be afraid to walk a few blocks, in broad daylight? Marsden wasn't even in New York, if he was the police would have found in by now, right? Right. Taylor turned and began walking to the store.

"No, I am a guest here!" Taylor rolled her eyes in frustration. She had successfully made it to the gap and a CVS for new shampoo, and back to the hotel without being attacked, but now the hotel wouldn't let her back in. She forgot her room key.

"Madam, I am sorry. We must ask you to leave."

"I'm in 409. I just forgot my key! Please just come-"

"Miss, we will call security."

Taylor groaned, and tried to stifle a laugh. At least she knew the hotel was following the protective measures set up to keep her safe.

"Is there a problem over here?" A manager walked over to the employee and Taylor.

"This young lady claims she is staying her, yet she can produce no key."

"Dude! How many times do I have to tell yo-" The manager cut her off and grabbed her upper arm.

"You're going to have to come with me."

"Oh my God." Taylor didn't struggle and allowed the man to lead her to the back of the hotel, through a maze of offices and finally to a plain room.

"Wait here, madam." He gently pushed Taylor into the room and took her bags.

"Wait a minute," Taylor snapped, "Where are you going?"

"To phone the police." The man turned on his heel and left her in the room.

Fifteen minutes later Taylor heard voices outside of the door. She recognized them as the manager and, to her dismay, Olivia. The door opened, Olivia walked in and shut it softly behind her.

"I see that didn't last long." Taylor didn't know why, but she couldn't bring herself to look at the detective. She heard the woman approach her. "Taylor, I know this is hard, but you have got to listen to me. You can't go waltzing around the city unprotected. We're trying our hardest to get this guy, but we can't if I have to come make sure you're behaving every ten minutes. I have to know that you're going to stay here, and be safe so I can do my job." Taylor turned away, embarrassed. Liv was treating her like a child.

"I was not _waltzing_ anywhere. I had to go get some stuff. I was fine until these morons dragged me in here." Liv turned and walked out of the room. Taylor heard her talking with the manager, but couldn't make out any specific words. The man came back in and handed Taylor her bags and led her to her room without saying a word. Olivia was already gone.

Taylor slammed her door shut and flung her bags on the bed. How could she be so stupid? She hated the disappointed look on Liv's faces. They were trying to find the guy that was stalking her and murdering innocent girls, and she was worried about pajamas. Taylor sighed and took a shower. She was hungry, but didn't feel like going down to the hotel restaurant. She brushed her hair and pulled on her new pj's. It was only 9:00 but she had had a long day. She lay in the dark, looking up at the celling when she heard it. At first she thought it was just something out in the hallway, but after a while she was certain it was in the room. A soft beeping noise was coming from her suitcase.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

Taylor lay in bed a few more minutes and told herself that the beeping was just a smoke alarm that needed new batteries or a watch from the next room, or something like that. She tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't help feeling nervous. She felt silly, but she got out of bed and checked the door. It was deadbolted. She knew it was ridiculous, but she went into the bathroom and yanked back the shower curtain, half expecting a serial killer. Nothing. The room was clear. She pulled her suitcase onto the bed. The beeping got louder. She turned it over and shuffled through its contents. Nothing. She looked the bag over, but again she saw nothing. Her heart speed up and she dropped her head into her hands. She didn't know what to think. She wanted to call Olivia, but what would she say? "Hey, I know you're out looking for a murdering rapist, but my suitcase is beeping…" No, she couldn't…But it was _beeping._ Why was it beeping? She hadn't packed any electronics. Frustrated Taylor stood up and dropped the suitcase on the ground, hoping to stop the beep. No dice. Taylor stared down at the thing, and then went to the closet and began rummaging in her jeans. She pulled out the card that Stabler guy had given her. She didn't want to disrupt Olivia for the second time that night, but she was too freaked out about the beeping to go back to sleep; Stabler was the best option.

"Stabler."

"Uh, it's Taylor."

"Emerson? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah..but my suitcase is beeping?" Taylor sounded stupid to herself. She didn't want to know what Elliot was thinking.

"Your suitcase is beeping? Are you still in your hotel room?"

"Yeah, I am. There's a beeping sound coming from it. I just noticed it a few minutes ago."

Elliot sighed into the receiver. "We'll come check it out."

Taylor heard the phone hang up. She got up and got dressed. She placed the suitcase in the center of the bed. She started examining all of the pockets and zippers, but then decided she should wait for the detectives. Or the bomb disposal unit.

Taylor jumped at the sound of three swift knocks on the door. "Taylor, it's detective Stabler, open up."

She opened the door and pointed to the suitcase. Stabler and another detective walked over and put their ears down to the suitcase. She guessed Olivia had opted not to go on the beeping suitcase recovery.

"I hear it." Taylor looked up from her musings and closed the door.

"It's coming from the handle." The taller detective pulled out a pocket knife and slit the handle open. He poked around for a few seconds before pulling something small out. "It looks like a tracking device. It must have gotten wet, or damaged. That's why it's beeping."

Taylor frowned. A tracking device in her bag. Well that was just wonderful.

"This guy just doesn't stop." Stabler shook his head, and then turned towards Taylor. "Alright. You and this suitcase need to come down to the station."

"Of course." On the way to the station Taylor reflected over everything that had happened in such a short time. She was kind of angry about the tracking device. The cops were supposed to keep her safe, but they were doing a pretty bad job so far. Her attorney told her that she could sue the cops and the state for their lack of protection, but she didn't want to do all of that. She just wished they'd be a little more careful. There was a lot of things that didn't make sense either. Like how her prints were on the camera. And old school projects she left in Texas turned up in her apartment. She hated to think it, but whoever took the pictures of her in New York had been with her in El Paso as well. That thought terrified her. She tried to justify things in her mind, convincing herself that the books and newspaper clippings were in the bottom of her suitcases and moving boxes, and she just didn't see them, but she knew that wasn't the case. She wondered if the detectives had come to this realization as well. They probably had, they were just keeping that from her, like everything else.

"You can stay here overnight. But first we're going to need to sweep you for bugs. We'll be checking your apartment first thing tomorrow morning." Taylor liked Stabler's matter of fact voice. She felt like someone was finally taking action.

"Have you found him?"

"Not yet. But we traced his credit cards and phone records. We don't think he's any farther than New Jersey. We'll get him, I promise." Stabler promised the girl that they would find him. He didn't however, promise that Marsden was the man that was terrorizing her. As of now, Marsden was just wanted for questioning, and as much as Stabler didn't want to admit it, little to none evidence proved that he was the one who committed these crimes.

Taylor came back clean for bugs. Stabler led her to the cribs and told her she would have to stay there for the night.

Stabler went back out to the squad room and talked to Munch.

"We also need to interview her tomorrow. See if she knows of anyone else who would want to scare her. I talked to Cabot. Even if we find this guy the only thing we have linking him to the murders is that fruit spray. And countless of other people had access to that."

"I just..I know it's this guy. He knew her name."

"Elliot, you know we can't use that. Even if Taylor never used a credit card, he could say he heard someone call her on the street or that she let it slip one time."

"Alright, we'll talk to her in the morning. Where's Liv?"

"Captain sent her home. She told Taylor everything after they found her bedroom trashed. She's off the case."

Stabler looked up, shocked, "So she knows? How much?"

"I don't know how much she knows about Marsden. All Liv said is that she told her that they were sisters." Stabler crossed his arms.

"I knew you'd show up." Liv moved aside and opened the door wider for Elliot.

"How much did you tell her?"

"Everything. She deserves to know, El."

"Yeah."

Liv looked up at her partner. She was surprised that Elliot agreed. She had expected him to fight her on this. "I mean, this poor girl. She's a product of rape, and her mother was a druggie, she probably didn't have the best childhood. She gets a break when she turns 16 and moves to New York, expecting a fresh start, and then bodies start to pile up and she finds out that she has a stalker. I was thinking, he had to have been watching in when she was still in Texas too. Some of those pictures in her room were old. And the school work and those magazines…" Liv trailed off. She didn't want Elliot to see that she cared so much.

Elliot looked around the room, and cleared his throat. "Liv, something else happened. Taylor called me tonight, talking about a beeping suitcase. John and I checked went and checked it out. There was a tracking device planted in the handle of her suitcase." Stabler's phone rang, and he picked it up before he could gauge Liv's reaction. He hoped up and began talking quickly. Liv stood too.

"That was Munch. They found Marsden drunk and causing problems just across the Canadian border. The cops arrested him for public indecency. He'll be here by morning."

"I really hope he's our guy." Elliot looked at his partner. "I want him off the streets. For good this time."

"Liv, remember. You're off this case. You can't go near him."

"I know that!" Liv snapped at Elliot. She didn't need to be reminded that her captain didn't trust her to deal with such matters.

Elliot's phone beeped. He looked up at Liv and grinned. "The arresting officers found a knife with dried blood in Marsden's car."

"The blood on the knife is an exact match to our last victim." Elliot thanked Warner and went to tell the Captain. Munch and Finn had been in interrogation with Marsden for hours and had gotten nothing out of him. He adamantly refused an attorney and denied that he had ever seen Taylor or the dead girls. The minute Elliot entered with the blood results he lawyered up.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Okay, Taylor can you think of anyone from Texas who has anything against you?" Taylor know sat in the all too familiar interrogation room. She wore the same clothes as yesterday and wanted a hot shower. She also wanted to know why Liv wasn't there, but couldn't bring herself to ask. Last night she convinced herself that it was silly to worry about what Liv thought, or to want Liv around. They weren't sisters. Marsden had just victimized both of their mothers. That didn't make them sisters.

"No."

"You didn't have any enemies at school? Any old upset boyfriends?"

"No. Everyone liked me." She realized how conceited that sounded. "I mean, I had no enemies. When there was no one pissed off at me when I left." She corrected herself. "So, you think he followed me from Paso too?"

The door opened and the Captain pulled Stabler out. "We may have another problem." He led Elliot to Cabot's office.

"I just finished meeting with Marsden and his lawyer. They've done their research. If we're going to try and convict Marsden with the rape and murder, they're going to try to screw with Emerson's emancipation."

"What do you mean? How do the two relate?"

"I didn't understand at first either, but I did some digging. Five months before she filed for the emancipation, Taylor's grandmother passed away. She left everything to her granddaughter. But, Taylor was only 16 and her mother had control of it until she was of legal age. Now, Marsden's lawyer is going to claim that Taylor filed to get control of the money. He also found out that the emancipation was legalized before she turned 17, which is legal in Texas but not in New York. She conveniently waited a few weeks, and moved to New York right after her 17th birthday. He's going to make it look like everything was planned. She'll seem like an untrustworthy teenager who isn't a creditable witness. He may even try to revoke her emancipation."

Stabler rubbed a hand over his face. Who much more complicated was this case going to get?

"So, what do we do?"

"Talk to Taylor again. Figure out why she really got emancipated. Don't go easy on her, get the truth. If she really did it to get access to the money, there's no way the jury will believe her."

"So, you got emancipated when you were 16."

"Yes.." Taylor eyed the detective suspiciously. He told her they just needed to figure out who was following her. Why were they asking about her emancipation?

"Were you aware that that's illegal here? You have to be 17."

Taylor frowned. She was obviously back in their line of fire. "Yes. You can do it in Texas when you're only 16, though."

"Okay, Taylor, can you tell me why you decided to get one?"

"Because I wanted one." Taylor knew she was being childish, but she didn't appreciate being treated like a criminal once again.

Elliot sat down and leaned in towards the girl. "You just wanted your grandmother's money huh?" No answer. "You had all of that money waiting for you, but you couldn't touch it could you? What did you want? A new car? An expensive camera?" Taylor's eyes flashed dangerously. She scooted away from the table and started towards the door.

"Sit down!" She flinched at Stabler's voice. She didn't sit but she made no move towards the door either. "You want to play the innocent little girl, but you can't now can you? We know why you got emancipated. You just wanted money. And you got it. But what, that wasn't enough? You had to come to New York and see what you could stir up here?"

Taylor tried very hard to hold back her sobs, "What are you talking about?" Her head was spinning.

"You come to New York, and you're conveniently stalked and harassed, and before you know it, you've got a suit against the city. You did well."

Taylor couldn't keep the tears back any longer, and they were now streaming freely down her face. "I don't even kn-know what you're talking about. I told Casey I didn't wanna sue!" Stabler had her right where he wanted her.

"Why'd you get emancipated, huh?" He lowered his voice and spoke in a kinder tone. "Why'd you need that money?"

Taylor let out a stricken sob, "She was taking it all!"

"Who's she? Who was taking the money?"

"My mooooom" Taylor cried.

"But wasn't she in charge of it until you were 18?"

"She used it for bad things"

"What things?"

"D-drugs. And booze. It was happening again. I couldn't let it happen again!" Taylor slid down the wall. " I didn't want to , but I had to! I couldn't stay. You hafta believe me, I didn't want to! But I couldn't..I couldn't." Taylor's sobs prevented her from continuing. Stabler stood there awkwardly. Olivia was always there when the victims broke down, and he wasn't quite sure how to handle it. He lamely held out his hand to pull the girl up, and he hoped she wouldn't try to hug him. He led her back to her chair and left the room. The captain and A.D.A. stood on the other side of the window and watched.

"Okay, so Emerson gets emancipated to get control of the money so her mother wouldn't use it for drugs..I can use that in court! But why did she move away from her home? Marsden's lawyer still has a case."

"We'll have to find that out later. I think she's had enough for today." The captain and Cabot agreed with Elliot. "Captain, we need Liv back on this case. I doubt she's going to want to talk to me again."

The captain shook his head immediately, but then stopped to consider. "Alright. She can help. But nothing with Marsden, and I mean it. She is not go anywhere near that man, understood?" Stabler grinned.

"Got it, Cap'n."

Once Taylor had calmed down, Alex went in to speak with her.

"Hello, Miss Emerson, I'm A.D.A. Cabot." Alex explained how the other Lawyer was going to try to use her emancipation to destroy her credibility. Taylor listened intently. She stopped however, when Cabot brought up the fact that the lawyer might try to make the case that Taylor wasn't even suitable to live on her own. Taylor waited until the A.D.A. was done speaking, and stood.

"I'm done." She turned and walked out of the door. Alex, confused followed her.

"You're done?"

Taylor turned on the blonde. "Yes." She snarled. "You people need to leave me alone. Now." Taylor ignored Alex's response and left the station. She hailed a cab and went back to her apartment. There were no cops there, so she assumed they'd already swept for bugs. She didn't know what they found, but at this point she didn't care. She was so angry, and so over this whole thing, she couldn't find it in herself to be worried. She'd finally broken out of the miserable cycle she called her life and came to New York, only to have her past brought up again. Marsden had already taken everything from her when he raped her mother. She was not about to let him challenge her freedom. Deep down, she knew that by giving up, she was letting him win, but she didn't care. She was not going to allow them to revoke her emancipation. No way. If Marsden wanted to follow her, then fine. She could take care of herself. And if he wanted to rape and kill more girls; well that was the detective's problem, not hers.

The Captain walked into the squad room to find all of his detectives and A.D.A. huddled in a group.

"Why aren't we working people? Where are we on the Emerson-Marsden case?"

"The Emerson girl is refusing to cooperate. We do have the blood on the knife that matches our latest victim, but they've probably concocted some brilliant explanation for that." The A.D.A. was visibly upset. Everyone had been working so hard on this case the past week or so.

"Well, why isn't she willing to help?"

"I told her that Marsden and his attorney were going to bring her emancipation up and try to discredit her. She doesn't want to risk having to give up her rights."

"Well.." The captain was at a loss, "How likely is it that she would have to go back to her mom?"

"If the defense has half a mind the can point out the obvious. Mere weeks after Taylor's legally allowed to take care of herself she's accused of a felony and falls victim to harassment herself. Any judge is going to say that she's not fit to take care of herself. Besides, even with her explanation, she looks suspicious with all of that money involved."

"All right. Right now the only link between the three victims are Taylor, so, Munch and Fin, find a way to link Marsden as well. Liv and Stabler, just try to talk to Taylor. See if there's any way to change her mind."

The detectives set off to follow their captain's orders with heavy hearts. Everyone knew this case was far-fetched. There were three girls dead and the detective's only lead was refusing to speak to any of them.

"Taylor, we know you're in there." Of course, she wasn't opening the door. Stabler's anger spiked, "Taylor, I'll break down this door." Liv laid a hand on her partner's arm.

"No you aren't. Go away." Taylor's muffled voice came from the other side of the door.

"Taylor, please, we just want to talk." Liv tried to plead with the girl. The detectives heard no movement from the other side of the door. "We really, really need to speak to you. We need your help to crack this case. We don't have time to sit out here and play games, we have things to do."

The door flew open, "The go _do_ them. And while you're at it, learn how to do your job." She slammed the door shut with surprising force.

Elliot faced his partner. "Well, pigheadedness must run in the family."

Taylor's getting a little feisty ;)

Tell me what you think!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

"You let him go?" Stabler yelled at Alex.

"We didn't have enough to take him to court!"

"Uh, what about the knife with our victim's blood on it?"

"He's claiming that he found it, a few blocks away from the crime scene."

"Can he prove that?"

"Not any more than we can prove he's lying. I'm sorry Elliot, we have no case."

"Okay. Okay. We'll subpoena Emerson, use the text messages."

"Those messages are nothing. Yes, they're freaky, but we have no idea where they came from."

"He knew her name!"

"That wouldn't stand up in court. And even if it did, that just proves he was following her. Not that he killed those girls." Stabler walked over to his desk and pulled out the files. He hunched over his work and started muttering.

"There's gotta be something we missed..."

Olivia sighed. "So where do we go now captain?"

"Back to root one. We may have been going in the wrong direction all along. The only lead we have that isn't directly related to Emerson is that fruit spray. Look into that stuff again."

"When I tested the visa from the first victim, I only looked for prints and blood. I had it run for more specific samples, and guess what turned up?"

"That fruit spray stuff."

"Exactly. I also found samples of it around our victim's mouth, and in her teeth."

"The perp probably left some over when he shoved the card down her throat."

"Or, she consumed some fruit that hadn't been washed all the way."

"Oh..she was a customer at the Fruit Shack. I'll get Elliot to take a picture to show around."

Stabler and Munch stood outside the store asking anyone if they recognized the girl.

"Hey! That's Stacy!"

"You know this woman, sir?"

"Yeah, she used to work here."

"Used to?"

"She quit a few months ago. She got accepted into Hudson. What happened to her, is she okay?"

"Let's talk somewhere else." Elliot and Munch lead the man around the building to an empty alley.

"What's your name, sir?"

"I'm Sean. Sean Greene."

"Sir, how do you know this girl?"

"I told you, she used to be my co-worker."

"She was found dead two weeks ago."

"My God…Stacy? What happened?"

"That's what we're aiming to figure out. What's her whole name?"

" Stacy Reed. She was a real nice girl."

"How old was she?"

"Not any older than 21. I invited her out for drinks once, but she told me she wasn't legal."

"Mmkay, did she ever have any run-ins with the owner?"

"Paul? No, they were real close. Why? What did that bastard do to her? I'll kill him!" Sean's face turned red and his fists clenched. Stabler raised an eye brow to Munch, who laid a hand on Sean's shoulder.

"Now, wait a minute son, why do you think Paul did something to this girl?"

"Because of Mandy!" Sean said this like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Alright, alright, who's Mandy?"

"This girl, she used to come in here a lot. Pretties girl I've ever seen. Smart too. She went to NYU. Paul would always try to talk to her, he always tried to get her to go out with him to lunch, coffee, you know..but she always declined. But then one day when he asked her to dinner she snapped at him. She said that she was seeing someone and that she'd never go out with him. When she left he was real upset. I heard him muttering things about how 'that bitch was gonna pay.' After that, she didn't come back in."

"And you think he did something to her?"

"I know he did! That guy couldn't take 'no' for an answer."

"Isn't it possible that she doesn't come in anymore because she's tired of dealing with him?"

"That's what I thought, but we're the only place for blocks that sells naturally grown fruit and doesn't use any artificial treatment. I had a conversation with her once about it. She was a locavore, she complained that this was the only place that she could find good fruit."

"Alright, Mr. Greene, would you come down to the station and look at some photos for us?"

Munch laid a sheet with six pictures in front of Sean.

"Are any of these Mandy?"

"No."

"Do you recognize any of these woman?"

"These two girls," Sean pointed to the third and fifth photo, "They're regulars. This one is Raquel something. I don't know the other girls' name."

"Did either one of them ever use a credit card?"

"I don't know. I don't usually work the register. But, I can get you the records."

"Let's go." Munch and Sean left Stabler to go fish the credit card records.

"Have we made any progress?" The captain questioned Elliot.

"Yeah. We've got an employee, Sean Greene, who IDed our first victim as a Stacy Reed. About 20 years old, student at Hudson. He recognized the second two victims, IDed one as Raquel. Munch is getting the credit card receipts to see if we can find a match. He doesn't know the third victim, but he says she's a regular. Captain, he also talked about a girl named Mandy. Said she disappeared after she rejected Marsden."

"Alright. You and Liv, find Stacy's kin and make notification. I'll run the database for another murder fitting our M.O."

Taylor woke up late. She lay in her bed while everything came rushing back to her. She was glad to be done with it all. She did have the nagging feeling that something still wasn't right: they still hadn't caught the person who had been stalking her for God knows how long, but she pushed all negative thoughts away. She got up and took a shower. She stood under the hot water for at least half an hour, letting all of the worry and stress of the case flow down the drain. She got out feeling a much better than she had since she got to New York. She decided to go visit the LaGuardia campus. She hadn't seen it in person yet, and she didn't want to wait until the fall semester started to see the school she would be attending. As she left her building and began the short walk to the high school campus, her heart rate sped up. She was safe, she kept telling herself. She was around tons of other people, in broad daylight. But as she got farther and farther away from her safe haven apartment, she couldn't help but to worry more and more. Maybe she shouldn't have told the detectives to screw off? No no no, she would be fine. She laughed at herself. She needed a drink.

She reached the campus and walked around, surveying the outside and grinned in approval. She tried the doors, but of course, they were locked. She walked around the block a few times, trying to calm her nerves. She knew a little alcohol would do the trick. She remembered the long nights back in El Paso. When her mother didn't come all night, and Taylor was home worrying. She would always have a few shots to take the edge off. She knew it was wrong, but it worked. She wondered where she should go to get some though. She knew she couldn't pass as 21, but she could charm any half-witted vendor into giving her anything she wanted. She'd done it before.

She walked until she came across a rundown liquor store and casually glanced in. At first look, it appeared to be closed, there were no other customers in, but she could see an old Indian man behind the counter. Perfect. She walked in, avoided the man's nonchalant glance and walked toward the champagne aisle. If she was going to break the law, she was going to be classy about it. She picked two bottles she recognized from her mother's liquor cabinet, and then one that just had a neat label. She took the three bottles and set them down on the counter. The man looked at her and did a double take. "ID?"

Taylor smiled, flashing all of her pearly whites. "Just ring it up," she broke eye contact to read the man's name tag, "Abdul." The man regarded her for half a second more with wide eyes and slowly scanned the bottles, never detaching his eyes from Taylor's chest. He announced the total and Taylor paid in cash. She stuffed a $10 in the tip jar and gave the man one last smile before turning on her heels and leaving with the stuff. She grinned again as she stepped back on to the sidewalk and made her way home. Just the thought of getting drunk pushed the worries from her mind.

The captain approached Liv and Elliot who were discussing a new case and slapped a photo down on the desk.

"Amanda Avery. 23. Found beaten to death in an alley in Texas four weeks ago. She was naked, just like our victims, with one exception. She was wearing a class ring."

"Okay, so Sean was telling the truth. But Marsden didn't kill her-at least not yet- she was just in Texas. And that's when he got her. He must have been there watching Taylor! What part of Texas?" Elliot was quickly drawing his own conclusions.

"Do you really have to ask? El Paso."

"Of course. Do we have a picture of the ring?"

"Yes. The El Paso cops are sending the actual ring over. They haven't been any more successful than we have. They wish us luck." The Cap handed Elliot an enlarged photo of the ring.

"If Mandy was in her twenties and attending university, why was she wearing her high school class ring?"

"She wasn't. I spoke the EPD M.E. She told me it was shoved on post mortem. Mandy had gained her freshman fifteen, and the perp had to use excessive force to get it on her."

Elliot looked up from studying the photo. "Burges High School. Where have we seen that before?"

Liv's heart tightened. "In Taylor's file. That's her old school." Olivia wasn't even surprised. She had begun to accept the fact that all roads led to Taylor.

A bottle and half a pizza later, Taylor lay dazed on the couch, watching reruns of Judge Judy. She prided herself on being a responsible drunk and always stayed out of the public eye when she was in the this condition. She knew she'd feel like shit in the morning but as of that moment, she felt wonderful. For the first time in weeks she felt safe. She didn't even jump when she heard two crisp knocks on the door. She considered letting it go, but they were followed by two faster knocks. She grumbled and opened the door to reveal Olivia. She squinted up at the cop.

"Ohhh my God. I swear you people…you just don't take 'no' for an answer!" She tried hard to stand up straight and not slur her speech.

"I'm not here about the case. I just wanted to talk. To you. I wanted to talk to you." Liv was nervous. Just like the case with Simon, she just couldn't stay away. She spent her whole life, not really knowing where she came from, and alone. She had spent her whole life wishing for siblings to share her burden with, and then she'd found Simon, and now Taylor! She couldn't just let them pass without talking to them.

"Well, where's the admiral?" The admiral? Olivia was now confused.

"That other one. He's the one that usually harasses me." Liv had to smile at that one.

"Detective Stabler's not here. I told you, I wanted to talk to you, but not about the case."

"Well, I dontwannatalk to you!" Olivia raised her eyebrow at the rushed speech. She then realized that the alcohol she had smelled while knocking on the door was not from the apartment across the hall, but from Taylor.

"Taylor, have you been drinking?"

"Have you?" Taylor knew it probably wasn't in her best interest to mouth off to a cop in her drunken-underage state, but her inhibitions were seriously lowered, and she couldn't find it in herself to care. She tried to close the door in Liv's face, but the detective stuck her foot out.

"Taylor, do you know how dangerous this is?"

"Do you know how dangerous this is?" Taylor mimicked Olivia in a mock authoritative voice.

"Taylor, what happened? Why would you do this?" Liv didn't know what to do. Should she be Detective Benson or older sister Liv?

"_You_ happened!" Taylor dissolved in giggles and disappeared into the apartment, leaving the door open. Liv took this as an invitation and stepped in. She looked into the kitchen and saw an empty champagne bottle on its side on the counter. Had the girl really downed a whole bottle by herself? That was impressive. She wondered into the living room where Taylor was watching a court bailiff escort a woman screaming about someone being her "baby daddy" out of the court room. Taylor lazily flicked her hand toward the screen and looked up at Liv. "Look. It's you!" Liv sat down on the sofa.

"No, I'm a detective, not a court officer. Why are you watching this trash?"

"I hafta prepare myself."

Liv quirked an eyebrow. She knew it was wrong, but people were the most truthful when they were drunk. She took this opportunity to probe Taylor. "Prepare yourself for what?"

"You people…are going try an' make me go back to live with my mom." Olivia laughed. Taylor thought watching staged custody battles was going to help her if she was going to have to fight to keep her emancipation revoked?

"Ah sweetheart, we're not trying to mess with your emancipation. And even if we were, I don't think this would be too helpful." That comment earned Olivia a glare. "But even if we were, would it be the end of the world to go back to live with your mom?

"Yes. She hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you."

"Olivia, were you telling me the truth? When you told me about Marsden?"

"Yes…" Olivia didn't. Understand where Taylor was going with this.

"Then you know she hates me." Taylor's glassy brown eyes met Liv's hard ones. Liv realized she was talking about being the product of a rape. Liv reached out to touch Taylor's leg, but the girl shrank away and remembered that she was supposed to be mad at the detective.

"Why are you in my apartment?"

"Why are you drunk?"

"I told you! You people are the reason I drink!" She threw the remote down.

Olivia stifled another laugh. Now Taylor was acting like a 40 year old pissed off drunk. Taylor got up and walked towards the kitchen. Liv stood and caught her by the arm.

"Ah ah ah. I believe we've reached the cut off for tonight." Taylor yanked her arm away and reached for the bottle opener.

"If you stop being mean, I'll share." Olivia pulled the opener and bottle away from the girl.

"Taylor, no. Why are you doing this? There are better ways of coping."

"Dude. Don't you preach to me. Seriousssssly. This stuff was expensive, I know you want some." She made a grab for the bottle but the detective pulled it just outside her reach.

"Evil troll." Taylor pouted for a second and moved to the fridge, and produced a third bottle. She began fumbling with the cork.

"Taylor, put that down now." Taylor began prying the cork up.

"Taylor, I'm not going to allow you to drink right in front of me." The girl didn't pay Olivia any mind. Olivia didn't know what else to do. She couldn't contain her detective side long enough to reason with the girl.

"Taylor Emerson. You're under arrest for minor possession and consumption of alcohol." She jerked the bottle out of Taylor's hands and then proceeded to cuff them behind her back. She dragged a stunned Taylor back to the living room and threw her on the sofa. Liv had no intention of taking the girl in, she just wanted to scare her, and get her to listen.

Tell me what you think!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

Taylor looked up at Olivia, dazed. Her impaired mind was processing the situation slowly, and she wasn't sure what exactly was happening.

"You've got a lot of nerve, drinking in front of a cop like that." Liv stared down at the girl, who was just beginning to realize that she was cuffed. Taylor arched her back and yanked at the handcuffs, they were tight and uncomfortable against her wrists. "Stop it, you're going to hurt yourself." Taylor looked up at Liv murderously.

"Liars go to Hell." She whispered in a mock southern accent. Liv frowned. She never pegged Taylor to be religious.

"What?"

"You SAID that you were only here to TALK. You lying BITCH." Taylor had risen to her feet and was yelling at the detective. Liv pushed her back down and bent down so they were eye level.

"I came here to talk. I thought we could handle this like mature adults. But obviously, you can't handle that. I have to admit, I thought you were smarter than this, Taylor. I would have never thought a bright girl like you would turn to drinking. I guess I was wrong." Taylor just turned away from the detective. Her mind was fuzzy, and her head ached something fierce. It was hard, but she bit her tongue, she didn't wanted to say anything she might regret later. Liv walked out of the room, and Taylor could hear her in the kitchen, opening her last two bottles and pouring the stuff down the drain. Taylor squirmed on the sofa, unable to find a comfortable position with her hands cuffed behind her.

"Can you _please_ get these things off of me?" Olivia entered the room and appraised the struggling girl.

"Do you have any more liquor in here?"

"No!" Liv wondered if she could trust the girl. Taylor could sense Liv's apprehension and added, "I promise." She looked up at Liv with wide puppy dog eyes. Olivia was not about to allow herself to be manipulated by this girl.

"Where'd you get it?"

"Where did I get what?" Of course she wasn't going to cooperate.

"The alcohol."

"The champagne?"

"Yes." Liv's patience was wearing thin. She hated dealing with intoxicated adults, teenagers were even worse.

"I bought it."

"From where?"

"A store!" Taylor answered in a singsong voice, obviously enjoying her little game.

"Taylor, I'm telling you, if you don't tell me where you bought this, I'm taking you in."

"No you won't." Olivia's prayers that she wouldn't call her bluff went unanswered.

"You don't think I will?"

"Well, if yer gonna do it, then do it, don't just sit around talking about it." Olivia had another idea. She turned to leave.

"Goodnight." She called over her shoulder. Taylor heard the door close and smiled in smug satisfaction. She stood and then realized she was still cuffed. She groaned.

"Wait! Olivia!" She ran to the door and turned her back to it so she could open it. She stepped out into the hallway just in time to see the detective turning the corner. "Come back! You can't leave me like this!" Taylor hollered down the hallway. She ran to catch up to Olivia. She found the detective waiting for the elevator. "Please!" The detective faced the girl, her face flush from embarrassment, alcohol and exertion. Olivia smiled internally. She knew Taylor wouldn't want to be left in cuffs all night.

"Alright, my little lush. Let's not do this out here." Liv grabbed Taylor by the upper arm and lead her back to her apartment. Once they got in Liv closed the door and turned Taylor to face her. "You are to go straight to bed. Do you understand? I'll be coming back tomorrow morning to check on you. If I find out that you left this apartment, or consumed _any_ more alcohol, I will take you down to the station and throw you to the sharks. Got it?" Taylor's drunken mind wanted to fight with Liv some more, but her reason and logic shined through and she just nodded her head. Liv pulled her around and unhooked the metal bracelets. She stood their awkwardly for a few moments, rubbing her wrists, unsure of what do to next. "To bed. Now." Taylor turned and disappeared into the back of the apartment. Liv heard a door close and then running water. Even though the whole drinking incident shocked her, she knew Taylor was a smart girl and wouldn't do anything too stupid, so Liv decided to leave for the night.

Taylor opened her eyes and then screwed them tightly shut. She let out a long groan and flopped over in her bed, pulling the covers over her head. Memories from last night flooded over her. Did it really happen? Her stinging wrists answered her question for her. She felt embarrassed and dreaded facing Olivia. Why had she called her a lying bitch? Taylor wondered if Olivia was really going to check on her like she'd said last night. Even in her drunken stupor Taylor felt comforted that Olivia seemed to care so much. But now, she was just dreading it. She heaved herself out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She popped three advils and stepped in the shower. Thirty minutes later Taylor was dressed and successfully blocked all natural light from seeping into the apartment. The advil had done nothing for her and she just prayed that she wouldn't start vomiting as well. Around 11:00 she heard three knocks. She looked through the peep-hole. Of course.

"Hey. I'm fine. Thanks for checking on me though." Taylor called through the door in the most pleasant voice she could manage.

"We had a deal. Open the door." Taylor sighed and unlatched the lock and pulled the door open. The detective studied the girl. At first glance she appeared to be in order, but Liv saw the dark circles under her eyes, which were scrunched up revealing that despite the calm exterior, Taylor was indeed in pain.

"Uh…" Taylor shifted nervously under Olivia's gaze. "I'm sorry if I said anything…rude last night."

Liv waved the apology away. "I just want to know why you did it. I didn't have you pegged as a party girl. What happened?"

"Don't worry about it, Olivia. It won't happen again." Taylor had obviously found something very interesting about the carpet, because she wouldn't take her eyes off of it.

"I need you to tell me the truth. Do you have any more alcohol in this apartment?"

"No."

"I'm seriously cutting you a big break right now, Taylor. Do you understand that?" She tried to catch the girls' eye. "You have a bright future. You don't need to travel down this road." Alcohol was a sensitive subject with Liv. She thought of her own mother, she knew how alcohol could destroy a person's life.

"Yeah, I got it. Thanks." Taylor was thanking Olivia for her words and for taking care of her last night. There were few times in her life when Taylor had actually felt cared for or even safe. Liv had made her feel both. Olivia looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't. She gave a slight wave of her hand and turned to leave. Taylor stopped her.

"Wait…uhm, did you guys catch him?" for a minute the pain in Taylor's eyes subsided and Liv saw a glint of hope.

"We found him. But, Taylor, we didn't have enough to hold him. He's out, Taylor." Her face fell.

"Oh..oh, well he probably didn't do it, then." Taylor felt silly for asking and didn't want the detective to see that she cared.

"Alright. Here's my card. Call me if you ever need to talk. About anything." Taylor took the card and closed the door. She didn't like the finality behind it. She felt like she was saying goodbye to the detective forever. But then again, she kind of was. There was no reason for them to talk anymore, since Taylor dropped the case. She didn't want to think about why she was feeling disappointed.

Liv felt the same way as she walked down the hallway, away from the apartment. She wanted so badly to just talk to Taylor. Nothing heavy. Just see what she was really like. So far, Liv had only seen stressed out-victim Taylor and drunk Taylor. She wanted to get to know the real one. She wanted to learn what her favorite foods were, and what she liked to do in her spare time. But she feared Taylor didn't want the same thing. Liv had told her that they were half-sisters, and the girl barely acknowledged it.

Liv walked into the station late. El looked up. "Where were you?" She brushed him off. "The ring came in. Marsden wasn't as careful with Mandy as he was his last three victims. He left his finger prints and that fruit gunk. John and Finn just left to go pick him up."

**Sooo did Liv handle the whole thing with Taylor okay, or should she have done something different? Tell me what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14.

"We can't find Marsden." Munch and Fin walked into the squad room dejectedly.

The captain threw his hands up in the air. "Why am I not surprise? Nothing has gone right in this damn investigation."

"What do you mean 'you can't find him' where did you look?" Liv was on her feet, ready to take action, forgetting that she was not to be involved with Marsden in any way.

"Liv, we sacked his apartment, his fruit shop, we canvased the whole neighborhood. That dude's long gone." Fin tried to calm Liv down, but his efforts were in vain.

"How did he even know that we were on to him?" Liv stormed out of the squad room, but no one bothered to follow.

"How _did_ he know we were after him?" Stabler turned his attention to Fin.

"Don't look at me." Fin raised his arms defensively. " You and Munch were the ones that went asking questions around his store. Maybe he saw you and decided to jet."

The captain interrupted before things got too heated between the testosterone infused detectives. "Look, it doesn't matter how Marsden figured it out, but he did. And we need to find him. Get on it. Now." Cregan turned and then added as a side note, "And someone, go find Olivia and make sure she's not out hunting this nut."

* * *

><p>Taylor rummaged through her fridge looking for something she could prepare for dinner. It had been a few days since the drinking fiasco, and she'd given Liv, and the whole ordeal itself, little thought. She was so engrossed in her dinner musings that she didn't hear the key turn in the lock, and she didn't even register the silence when someone roughly yanked the cord of her iPod docking station out of the wall. She wasn't even aware that she was no longer alone in her apartment until a low voiced rumbled out, "You've got better taste than your mother." Taylor let out a shriek and turned to see the man from the fruit stand, the man she know knew to be her 'father' standing in the kitchen door way. She screamed again, and again, not fully understanding what was going on, and not really knowing what else to do.<p>

"You may scream all you like, Tay, but there's really no one to hear you. The McElroy's are out of town and Mr. Boads doesn't get off work until late. Did you know that only two other apartments are occupied on this floor…?" Taylor regained her senses and didn't wait until he was done with inane ramblings, she made a bolt for the door. Marsden had anticipated the move and his hand shot out and he grabbed Taylor roughly by the arm, dragged her to the living room and deposited her on to the sofa. Not unlike Olivia's actions a few nights before. "Now, Taylor. I am getting _very_ tired of you trying to cause problems for me. I thought that you might behave a little better after a little dose of TH9, but you kept talking to those cops. But you finally shut up once they started question your emancipation. See, you can't trust the cops, can you?" Taylor's brown eyes, wide with fear, remained glued to the man standing before her. She had never been more terrified in her life. Before she knew what she was doing she'd risen again and was sprinting for the door. Again, Marsden was quicker and jerked her back, throwing her on to the ground. She let out a strangled cry as she landed on her ankle the wrong way.

"Oh, Taylor. Why'd you have to do that? I was just beginning to think that we could talk calmly." His voice remained calm and steady, and almost fatherly like, but his eyes were cold. Taylor stared into them, and she saw no life behind the steely pupils. He opened his coat and produced a roll of duct tape. Taylor tried to get up, wriggle away, escape, but her left ankle was no longer any use to her. She opened her mouth and resorted to screaming, again. Marsden sighed as he stooped down to tape her hands and feet. He elicited even more cries from the girl when he jostled her injured ankle. "Oh geez, if there's one thing I hate, it's screaming. Your mother was a screamer. I would hate for you to turn out like her." Taylor stopped her cries for help when Marsden mentioned her mom. As much as she detested the woman, she didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

"What did you do to her?" Taylor's voice was laced with desperation and pain. She stifled a moan as Marsden chuckled.

"Oh, nothing she didn't deserve, I suppose." Taylor kicked her good foot out of anger. She was rewarded with a slap across the face. Marsden ticked his teeth at her.

"If you're a good girl, and can behave yourself, Daddy will tell you a story."

"What did you do to her?" Taylor didn't even recognize her own voice. She'd never heard something so angry, and pleading before.

"I will get to that part, my sweet." Marsden clapped his hands together and stood, leaving Taylor bound on the floor. Taylor was no longer screaming. If anything, she wanted to avoid getting slapped again.

"I met your mother one night, say, 17 years ago. She was walking in the park alone, wearing the smallest dress I'd ever seen on a woman. She passed me and smiled. I could tell she wanted it, so I took her. She screamed and threw a fit the entire time. Your mother was a fighter, she was…" Taylor took a deep breath and tuned the man out, not wanting to hear the details of her mother's rape, and her conception. "…And she tried to go to the police, so I knew I had to keep my eye on that one. She was always causing trouble. And then two months later she finds out that she had been blessed with you, but she didn't want you. She was going to abort you, Taylor, but I stopped her. I saved you Taylor!" Marsden had bent down and stroked Taylor's bruised face. His voice was thick with emotion. "And then, at the hospital she tried to put your name down as Taylor Emerson, but I stepped in, and I had it changed to Marsden! That greedy woman, she wanted you all to herself!" Taylor didn't know why, but the man seemed like he was trying to gain her approval. "She would never let me visit you, I know Taylor, but I watched you! I always watched you, I made sure you were safe! But then you…" Marsden's face had turned hard. Any emotion that Taylor had seen moments ago was gone. "Then you changed your name. Back to Emerson. After all I did for you. Do you know how that made me feel, Taylor? I loved you, and you disowned me!" He struck the girl with his backhand. She cried out that time.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know you!" Tears streamed nonstop down her cheeks. She trembled on the floor, afraid to move, to say anything more.

"I know you didn't, sweetie. That woman filled your head with lies." Marsden's soothing voice was back, and he was crouched down next to his daughter, caressing her face. He turned her face and forced her to look at him. "Just like the police. I see the way you look at me, Taylor. I know what you think I am. I see you're scared. Why are you scared?" Taylor didn't answer. Marsden's face filled with fury once more. He grabbed her cheeks and squeezed. He lowered his face so that they were nose to nose and hissed out, "When I ask you a question, I expect an answer. Why are you scared?"

"B-because, because, you're in my house! And you raped those girls, and you and you..." Taylor dissolved into sobs and couldn't finish. Marsden picked her up off the floor and hugged her tight. Taylor recoiled from his touch and tried to pull away, but he just held her tighter.

"I would never ever hurt you, Taylor."

"You already have!" Taylor jerked away and fell back on to the floor.

"Like you haven't hurt me? You left me! You went to New York without me! Do you know how dangerous this city is, sweetie? I went crazy when I found out you left! If I hadn't found that letter from that art school, I still might not have known where you ran off to…You can't do that again, Taylor!" Marsden had clutched at Taylor's hand, possessively. Taylor sobbed harder when she realized that Marsden had been in her house back in Texas, and wasn't bluffing about her mother.

"Why are you doing this?" Taylor groaned into the carpet more than anything else. The pain in her ankle and face was overwhelming and she was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"Because I love you."

"Nooo why did you kill those innocent girls?"

Marsden growled, "Those girls were NOT innocent. After I finally figured out that you had come to New York, I came, and opened the Shack. And these girls, they teased me, everyday! First there was Amanda, and she never gave me the time of day, and then I hear that she's going down to Texas, AND she's visiting your old high school! Flaunting the fact that I still couldn't find you. And then there was Stacy. She had those big brown eyes, and she batted them all of the time! All ways teasing me, just like you! And then there was Raquel, an Raquel, she had your hair! She had beautiful, beautiful long curly locks, and then one day she comes in, and she's gone and dyed it brunette! She tried to look like, to tease me, on purpose! And finally there was Tanya, and she was the worst. She started coming in right when you stopped coming to visit me. And you know what, Taylor? She had this film camera, always dangling by her side. Just a tease!" Marsden's face had gone beet red by the end of his speech, and Taylor looked on with horror. Was she really the reason these girls were all dead? She no longer wanted to get away. She wanted Marsden to kill her, too. She didn't, couldn't, live knowing three young girls were dead, because of her. "But your mother was the worst." Taylor stopped her crying and looked up at Marsden. As much as she didn't want to hear, she silently willed him to continue. "That fucking slut. She let you get away. She caused all of this. I paid her a visit last weekend. Don't worry, Tay, I stood up for you! I told her that it was her fault that you had to run away to New York, I told her what a bad mother she was! I told her, that a girl needs her mother growing up, and now you only have me! And you know what that bitch did? She begged me not to hurt you! That little whore pretended that she cared about you! She pretended that I'm the one that should be feared, can you believe that?" Marsden was screaming now. Taylor was stunned. Her mother had begged for her not to be harmed. If she were not already crying, tears of joy would have started leaking down her face. Marsden continued. "She was such a whore! Always begging for some!" He turned on Taylor, eyes alive with rage. "Are you a whore, Taylor?" Slap. "Who have you been fucking?" Slap.

"No! No one! Please, I'm a vir"

"Don't you lie to me!" Marsden thundered at his daughter. A flip had been switched. He was no longer the scary calm or the terrifying angry he'd been the duration of his 'visit'. This was something new. It was like a raw fury, and Taylor was the only one there to face the wrath.

"No! I am, I promise!"

"I'll be the judge of that." Marsden moved suddenly, and was soon on top of Taylor. She felt his hands at her waist, fumbling with the button and she screamed like never before. She thrashed and fought Marsden, but he was too strong. Soon her jeans were down to her knees and he made a move for her panties.

"No no no no no. Please. Oh my God, please no." Taylor made unintelligible pleas.

"What are you so scared of? I just need to see that you're pure." Taylor's arms were pinned underneath her, and Marsden was sitting on her legs, but she still struggled, jerking her body side to side, desperate to get away. She felt blows rain down on her as he tried to get her to settle down, for a moment she laid there, emotionally and physically exhausted. She avoided looking at Marsden, and traveled to a place deep in her mind, a place where she was safe, when she felt her underwear being lowered.

* * *

><p>Elliot found his partner curled up on one of the beds in the Crib.<p>

"We're going to catch this guy, Liv."

Olivia didn't want her partner to see that she'd been crying so she just pretended to be asleep. Elliot wasn't buying it.

"It's okay to show emotion, you know that Liv?" She didn't move. Elliot knew she would open up to him when she was ready. "I'll see you later. I've got a perp. to catch. G'night Liv." Right as he stood up to leave his phone rang. It was Munch. Stabler's heart dropped. "That son of a bitch." Munch and Fin had just talked to a bartender at a pub Marsden frequented. He said that Marsden had left early that night because he 'needed to check on his daughter'. Liv's sleeping façade was quickly forgotten when she heard Elliot's tone. He snapped the phone shut and stared at Liv. "He's going for Taylor." Elliot jumped to action, and Liv followed suit. "Munch and Fin are meeting us there." They jumped into the nearest patrol car and high-tailed it to Taylor's apartment. Neither one of them thought twice about Olivia going.

**Well, I certainly hope they get there in time!**

**Tell me what you think! **


	15. Chapter 15

She avoided looking at Marsden, and traveled to a place deep in her mind, a place where she was safe, when she felt her underwear being lowered. She tried hard not to focus of the throb of her ankle or the blows that seemed never ending. She was remembering her tenth birthday. Her mother happened to be sober for the occasion and they drove across the state and spent three days in San Antonio. They had gone to Fiesta Texas and Seaworld. It was the only time Taylor remembered having her mother's undivided attention. As Taylor was recalling the trip she vaguely heard the door being kicked in and shouts above her. She felt strong arms circle her and heard a soft voice near her ear, but she couldn't make out what it was saying. She did however; realize that she was no longer underneath Marsden. She allowed herself to breath and relaxed into the comforting arms of her savior.

Liv held her younger sister and whispered soothing words into her ear. Elliot pulled a blanket off of the sofa and draped it over the now unconscious girl. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see Marsden being dragged out of the room by Fin in handcuffs. Marsden's eyes were wild and feral, darting around, not being able to find a suitable focal point, and twitching, but the man said nothing. Elliot looked back to his partner, and stood. "There's a bus waiting outside. Do you want me to take her?" Liv shook her head and gathered Taylor and the blanket up and slowly stood. She tittered a bit under the extra weight, but the girl was light and she was able to quickly regain her balance and carry her bundle down to the waiting ambulance.

The ride to the hospital was silent, as Taylor had passed out from shock and pain, much different from the last one. They got to the hospital and Taylor was wheeled to an examination room where they set her broken ankle and found two fractured ribs. They doped her up on Morphine. Olivia instructed them to run a rape kit while she was still out. Liv stayed with her by her bedside and tried to hold back her tears. She couldn't help but blame herself. If she hadn't cuffed Taylor the first time they were at the hospital, if they had taken more safety precautions, if they had paid more attention to those text messages, if she had kept a closer eye on Marsden…Liv tried to shake these thoughts from her head. It's like she told the victims: no one was to blame but the perp. But Liv still felt like she was accountable, at least a little bit.

Liv's thoughts were interrupted when Taylor's doctor came in. Olivia didn't look up. She dreaded the answer, but had to know.

"Was she raped?"

"The rape test came back negative." The doctor slipped Liv a reassuring smile and moved to Taylor to check her vitals. Olivia released the breath she felt that she had been holding for the past two hours. They'd finally done something right in the investigation and got there in time. The doctor seemed satisfied with her patient's condition and left the two alone once again.

Taylor let out a small sigh and opened her eyes. She lifted her hand and frowned at the IV stuck in the back of it. She turned towards Olivia and gave her a shy smile. "You're not going to arrest me this time, are you?" Her voice was light and teasing.

"Of course not, Taylor." Her smile faded at the detective's seriousness and she turned to face the door. She wanted to say more: ask about her injuries, when she could leave, thank the detective, but she was tired. She rested her eyes on the monitor and watched her heat beat.

Olivia could sense the girl's apprehension. "Taylor, you have a couple of fractured ribs and a broken ankle, but they fixed you up when you were…asleep. I'll call the nurse in a few minutes to tell them that you're awake, but right now, I need you to tell me what happened." She avoided looking into the girl's eyes, afraid of what she might find there. She didn't doubt that Taylor didn't blame her, in fact, she probably hated her. But, Liv had to put her personal emotions aside and be a detective. Elliot entered the room just in time to hear Taylor begin. Liv had called him with the hospital details and told him to go back to Taylo's apartment and pack her a change of clothes; She doubted Taylor would want to leave the hospital in a gown or in the torn clothes she had arrived in.

"I was making dinner…I didn't even hear him come in. I screamed, but he told me that there was no one on my floor. And when I tried to run he grabbed me and he-he threw me on the ground. And then, I don't know, he was just ranting and , and one minute he was gentle, kind almost, and then the next he was a raving lunatic, and I kept trying to get away, but he taped my hands and feet together, and then he started telling me about all of those girls he killed, and he killed my mom, and then he.." Taylor's eyebrows were scrunched together and she looked confused. Her words flew quickly from her mouth, and her voiced began to hitch. She started shaking and couldn't continue. Olivia wanted to scoop the girl up again and hold her until her world was right, but she couldn't. She had to be the detective, the cool, calm, and collected cop and get the story.

"I know it's hard, Taylor, but we really need to know what happened, exactly." Taylor jumped at the sound of Elliot's voice. Olivia began rubbing her back and urged her to continue.

"I laid me down and he, umm, he said that he needed to make sure I was still 'pure'" Taylor felt heat rise to her face as she blushed deeply. Her heart began to race as did the monitor's beeping. She cast the machine a dark look, embarrassed of what happened to her, and that everyone in the room could see what effect it had on her. Elliot reached up and flicked the thing off. Silence.

"And then what happened?" Olivia asked the girl softly.

"He climbed on top of me, and I screamed and fought, really really hard, but he just kept hitting me. Over and over again. And he pulled down my pants and underwear. I didn't want him to, I tried to get away, I promise! But I was just so tired!" Taylor began to feel guilty. This was her fault. She could have fought harder, screamed louder; she knew she could have gotten out of the tape bindings if she'd just tried harder.

"Taylor, look at me. This is in no way your fault, do you understand that. You fought so hard, you were so brave. And you won. You're safe now. He can't hurt you anymore." Taylor looked into Olivia's eyes, searching for any hint of disgust or contempt but could find none.

"I'm going to see if they've made any progress." Elliot bid his partner and Taylor goodbyes and left the room. When he'd left the precinct Fin and Munch were just beginning to question Marsden. Elliot wanted to get a good crack at him before he lawyered up.

"Thanks." After ten minutes, Taylor was finally able to regain control of herself and peered at the detective.

Taylor had only said one word, but there was a load of emotion behind it. Olivia understood and smiled down at the girl. "I'll call the nurse and tell her you're awake now."

"Well, Miss Emerson, you need to come back in a few weeks so I can check on your ankle and ribs. Take it easy for the next few weeks; the bruises should start healing in a few days. I'm prescribing you some pain medication as well. Two pills every twelve hours, okay?" Taylor nodded. The doctor took out the IV, and adjusted the brace around Taylor's middle, and helped her into a walking boot. She smiled at her patient. "Alright. You're free to go." As she left Taylor felt panicked again. Where would she go? Back to her apartment? She couldn't…

"Can I stay with you tonight?" She blurted out the words without thinking. She immediately wanted to take them back, not wanting to be rejected.

"Of course." Liv was surprised but answered without hesitation. She went to pick up the bag Elliot had left next to the door. "Get changed, and we'll go." She went and waited out in the hallway. She was shocked by Taylor's request, but she understood. Most victims never return to the place of their attack, much less go back the same night. And Taylor had no one else. She also felt elated that Taylor trusted her enough to spend the night with her.

Taylor shed the thin hospital gown and turned to look at herself in the body-length mirror on the back of the door. She had to stifle a gasp. Her skin was flowered with bruises from her chest down. The brace around her middle was tight and uncomfortable. She poked an angry looking bruise that covered most of her stomach and hissed, not expecting the jolt of pain. Her eyes stopped at the huge clunking boot that held her leg. She tried to take a step. Her leg felt heavy and foreign. She wondered how she was going to put her pants on and hoped the Admiral had packed her sweats.

She unzipped the bag and found that she wouldn't have to worry about pants. Stabler had packed her jeans, a pair of shorts and a long sleeved shirt, and a hoody. At the last moment he grabbed a thin-summery dress with flowy sleeves. Taylor pulled out her dress and felt a rush of gratitude towards the detective; maybe he wasn't as bad as she thought. She carefully pulled the dress over her head. It came down to a few inches above the top of the boot and covered most of her bruises. She appraised herself in the mirror and tried to fix her hair, but she knew the curls would only be tamed after a shower. She decided she looked presentable enough, grabbed the bag and went to find Olivia.

Taylor felt disoriented when she walked out of the hospital into the dark night. Last she remembered it was 6:30 and the sun was just beginning to set. Olivia hailed a taxi and Taylor glanced at the dashboard and did a double take 1:00 am. She tried to piece the last six and a half hours together. "What time was it when you guys found me?" Taylor asked awkwardly.

"Around 6:50ish? Maybe 7," Taylor looked out the window and watched the city fly by. She had only been in Marsden's clutches for twenty, thirty minutes top. She felt like she'd been his prisoner for days.

"How long was I out?"

_Too long_, Olivia thought. "Around five hours."

"Oh.." The cabbie pulled to stop outside of Liv's building. She paid the man and lead Taylor up to her place.

* * *

><p><em>She finally broke free of her restraints but couldn't get from underneath Marsden. She begged, but he ignored her and had his way with her, violating her in the worse way imaginable. She heard laughter and looked up to see the four girls, bruised and bloody jeering at her. She called for them to help her, but they stood their ground, pointing and laughing. Her mother came from behind them and sat down next to her while her father was still on top of her. Her mother looked so sad, but beautiful. She laid a hand on her face and Taylor stopped screaming for a moment. She listened as her mom told her that she was just getting what she deserved...<em>

Olivia shook Taylor but couldn't rouse the girl. She had awoken to Taylor screaming; the detective had grabbed her gun and burst out into the living room. She found Taylor sprawled out on her couch which she'd turned into a makeshift bed, tangled her sheets and covered in a thin layer of sweat, screaming.

"Shhh, shhh. You're safe, Taylor. You're with me. You're safe." Olivia shook the girl harder, wanting to free her from whatever horror she was witnessing in her mind. Her eyes finally popped open and she sat up with a start, bile rose in her throat and she ran/stumbled to the bathroom. She sank down next to the toile and heaved into the bowl. What she was throwing up, Taylor didn't know, because she hadn't eaten in what seemed forever. Olivia followed her sister into the bathroom and wordlessly tied back into a pony tail. She left and waited for Taylor in the living room.

Taylor entered a few minutes later, looking even more disheveled and miserable than before. She limped to the sofa, dragging her boot behind her, not having the strength to lug it around. She collapsed on to the cushion and into tears. She pulled her good leg up to her chest and hugged herself. Liv wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl and pulled her close. Taylor stiffened and then melted into the detective's embrace. They sat like that for an hour; Taylor cried until her body could produce no more tears and finally succumbed to exhaustion, remaining unaware that Liv was shedding a few silent tears herself.

**Olivia saves the day!**

**So, did I lay the Liv/Taylor stuff on too thick? Or was it okay? Tell me what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Olivia couldn't go back to sleep after Taylor's nightmare. She sat on the sofa holding the teenager until it was time for her to get ready for work. It was her day off, but she needed to go in and finish some month old paperwork. She got ready and then left a note with her number on the bottom on the counter.

**I went into work for a few hours. I'll be back around noon.**

**Help yourself to anything.**

**Please call if you go anywhere.**

Taylor woke up at 10:00 to the sound of her phone. It was the Texas authorities. They found her mother. Taylor sighed and hung up the phone. She felt like she wanted to cry, but no tears came. She wondered into the kitchen, looking for Olivia and found the note. She saved the number in her phone and tried to figure out her game plan. She needed to go back to her apartment, pack and get tickets to El Paso. As much as she didn't want to, she knew she'd have to go back to the apartment sooner or later, and she would rather do it now, alone, than go back and break down in front of Olivia or anyone else. She found Olivia's bathroom and took a shower. She could have showered at her place, but she didn't want to spend any more time there than absolutely necessary. She carefully slid off the ankle and rib brace like the doctor showed her. She leaned against one wall of the shower and slowly washed herself. When she tried to reach up and later her hair she was rewarded with a sharp stab of pain in her ribs. She was forced to grin and bear it. Other than the pain, she found the shower felt cleansing, she lingered until the hot water began to run cold. She dressed in the long jeans and shirt Elliot had packed and left. She hailed a Taxi and texted Liv.

**I'm going to my apartment.** She got a reply almost instantly

**Please be careful**

She shuffled into the elevator, glaring at a nearby family who stared at her boot. She got off on her floor and ran into the couple that lived a few doors down from her. They looked at her leg, shocked.

"Dear, what happened?" The woman laid a hand on Taylor's arm. Taylor didn't completely understand why, but she felt anger towards these people. They didn't come when she screamed for help. She didn't answer the woman's question and made her way towards her door, leaving the confused couple behind her.

She got to her apartment and stopped, resting her head on the door. Marsden wasn't in there. Marsden was in custody, he couldn't hurt her. He couldn't hurt anyone else. She steeled herself and inserted the key. She opened the door. She made a beeline for her bedroom, not looking in the kitchen, where she would see her unfinished dinner on the counter, or the living room, where she would see evidence that a struggle had taken place there. She got in her room and closed the door, resting on it when it had latched. She didn't seem in control of her breathing and sunk down to the floor, trying to calm herself down. She had to be strong. She needed to get her head together and get ready to go to Texas. She had a funeral to plan. She was being silly, she told herself. She wasn't even raped, and she was being overdramatic. She finally composed herself, and realized that she would have to leave the room to find a suitcase in the hall closet.

She opened the door and walked to the closet. She peered in the living room. Her coffee table was on its side and the sofa cushions were strewn about the room. She quickly adjusted the table and made the sofa back to normal. She felt a little better, but then she saw the shreds of duct tape that had bound her on the ground. It was too much and she turned away and went to retrieve her suitcase. She packed a few pairs of shorts and pants, but mostly dresses, since they were the easiest to put on. Her phone buzzed with another message.

**I have some news. We should talk. Meet you at Daniel's in ten? **Taylor remembered Daniel's, the cafe across the street that she and Liv went to after her bedroom was trashed. She walked over sat down at a table. The smell of food reminded her that she hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday and she ordered a sandwich not waiting for Olivia. Liv walked in while she was waiting for her food. The detective sat across from the girl, looking for any signs of distress.

Taylor realized that Liv was waiting for her to break down again. She smiled sheepishly. "I'm fine."

Olivia seemed satisfied and smiled back. The server came and set down Taylor's food and took Olivia's order. Taylor began to pick at her sandwich, anxious about what Liv wanted to talk about.

"He confessed. To everything." Taylor looked up, shocked.

"Everything everything?"

"From stalking you and stealing your things, to the murders, to attacking you. He'll probably go away for a long time."

Taylor nodded. She wasn't sure what she should say, or how she should feel. She was relived, she supposed. But sad at the same time. Why did it have to be her _father_ that did this? Olivia knew what the girl was thinking; she was thinking the same thing too. She was disgusted that her own flesh and blood hat committed such atrocities.

Olivia started again. "We were wondering if you'd testify?"

"Yeah." Taylor nodded eagerly. She felt responsible for what had happened to those girls. She wanted to pay them back somehow.

"Well, he was arraigned this morning and remanded, so he'll be off of the streets until the trial, which will happen in a few days, I think. You'll need to meet with our A.D.A. she wants to go over her questions with you."

"It's in a few days?" Taylor planned on leaving the next day and returning a few weeks before the fall semester. She was had hoped she could come back to New York in a month or so, with a clear head and second fresh start.

"Well, yes."

"I have to go to El Paso. My mom…" Olivia kicked herself. She had forgotten about the girl's mother. Texas authorities found her in her house, dead for two weeks. She had gotten pieces of Marsden under her fingernails and was added to his body list. Taylor had felt only contempt for her mother, until Marsden had said she begged him not to hurt her. Taylor wouldn't put it past Marsden to lie, but she wanted, needed to believe that he was telling the truth about that. She wanted to think that her mother spent her last moments trying to protect her, and not too drunk or high to even realize what Marsden was doing to her.

"You can go right after the trial." Olivia felt extremely insensitive, but there was nothing else that could be done, really. They needed the girl to testify.

"Okay." Her mom could wait a few more days. She would understand. The two fell quite.

"So, why New York?" Olivia broke the semi-comfortable silence. She knew Taylor was going to go to some art school, but she wanted an excuse to make conversation.

"Oh, uh, I always wanted to live here, and I got accepted to LaGuardia." Olivia nodded, impressed. She'd heard good things about the school.

"I thought they only accepted incoming freshman and sophomores. Won't you be a senior?"

"Yeah. They changed that policy a few years back."

"Do you know where you want to go to college?"

"I wanted to go to UT at Austin for the longest time…but now I don't know." Taylor laughed nervously. She didn't like thinking about the future, it only stressed her out.

"Well you have a year to figure it out, right?"

"I guess." Olivia could tell the conversation was making Taylor uneasy and dropped it. Taylor looked down at her food, Liv looked at Taylor. Both were equally curious about the other, but apprehensive as well. After five minutes of a terribly awkward silence the server came with the check. It was all on one tab. Olivia pulled out some crumpled cash at the same moment Taylor whipped out her new black card. Olivia felt slightly embarrassed; this teenager was obviously a lot better off than she was.

"I'll get it." Taylor smiled at Olivia. "It's the least I can do, really." Liv was about to argue when the guy swooped up the card and bill.

"Thank you."

"Thank you too. For everything I mean. I don't know what would have happened if you guys hadn't gotten—"

Olivia stopped her. "Taylor, we don't need to go here. We got there in time. Okay? And you don't need to thank me." The server brought Taylor's card back and the two rose and made their way outside.

"Well, I thank you anyway! And, thanks for letting me spend the night, too." Taylor's face flushed as she remembered her last night meltdown.

"Again, no thanks needed. And you don't have to be embarrassed, I was glad to be there." The two walked down the sidewalk, slowly, Taylor struggling to keep up with Liv. She found a bench and sat down, thinking Taylor needed a rest.

"I hate this stupid thing." Taylor kicked her boot with her good leg and glared at it.

"Well, kicking your broken ankle isn't going to help anything."

Taylor laughed. It was the first time in a few weeks. She had forgotten how good it felt. Olivia smiled. For the first time there was no pain, or nervousness behind the sound. It was completely carefree. Taylor stopped and looked at Olivia, a lazy smile still played on her lips and her eyes still held the ghost of the laugh.

"Everything will work out, you know?"

Taylor grinned. "It will."

**Alright, I know the end was kind of corny, but I like it!**

** I'll write an epilogue to tie up any loose ends, but I'm thinking this is a pretty good place to end it. Tell me what you guys think!**


	17. Chapter 17

Six months later.

Taylor stepped out into the bitter cold, and looked down the crowded street. She stood still a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to their new, lighter surroundings. She had been in the darkroom for the past hour, her hands reeked of developer and her pupils where wide. She traveled the familiar route to her apartment.

She stopped at her mailbox before going up and frowned at the contents. There was another letter. She ripped it in half and stuffed it in the nearest bin, already knowing what was written on the pages. Even as she walked away from the discarded envelope she felt the familiar feeling of panic and alarm course through her. She swiveled her head around, checking her surroundings, an involuntary action she did every time she thought of Marsden.

Taylor thought that after the trial, and the funeral, and the move, this would all be over. But she soon found out that it wasn't. At first she was determined to stay in her apartment. She removed any trace of a fight, got a new coffee table and changed her locks, but it was all in vain. She woke up, almost every night, screaming and covered in sweat. She began avoiding the living room, where the attack had happened. She wanted so badly to get a new apartment; the one she lived in had too many bad memories. But Marsden had already taken away her child, her security, and almost stole her innocence. She didn't want him to have her home too.

But then the letters started coming. She read the first five. They all said the same thing.

He missed her. He wanted her to visit. He wanted to see her gorgeous face. He couldn't wait to get out and see her. He dreamt of her each night.

They made her sick. She told Olivia about them, and she tried to do her best, but Sing-Sing was an unorganized mess, and some letters still slipped through to her.

Taylor only stayed in the apartment a few days after returning from Texas. She was able to handle living there all throughout the trial, because she had felt strong, and knew that she was bringing Marsden to justice. But after putting her mother in the ground, she couldn't take it. She woke early one morning, after another night filled with terror and went to the nearest store and purchased loads of boxes. She packed her apartment up, in a methodical state. She wasn't moving because of Marsden, she told herself. She was moving because she was sure she could find a better apartment, one closer to her school, one with a better view of the city. She rationalized these reasons to herself, not wanting to admit defeat.

After a few weeks in her new apartment a letter came. At first she was terrified. How had Marsden found out where she lived? Was he out? Was he watching her again? But then she had noticed the letter was still addressed to her old apartment. She had left a forwarding address for any bills that hadn't gotten her new address yet. Her landlord must have sent it over. She made a mental note to call him, and tell him to only send bills; trash the rest, but it slipped her mind. She was surprised another one had come in, it had been four months since that first one came and she had almost forgotten about him. Almost.

Taylor let herself in to the apartment, she was tired and wanted to go to bed early and catch some extra sleep, but the letter had sent her mind reeling. She lay in bed, uncharacteristically early, and was reminded of that night in the hotel room.

She remembered the tracking device. Sometimes she wondered what would have happened if her shampoo hadn't spilled on it. During the trial, Marsden revealed that he sipped into her apartment and planted bugs on all of her luggage when he saw her talking to the police; suspecting that she would try to go somewhere. She shuddered when she thought of what Marsden could have done to her if he had found out where she was staying.

Taylor rolled over into a more comfortable position, trying to push everything from her mind. She hated that six months had gone by and she still dwelled on everything. Her therapist (the one Liv had urged her, rather forcefully, to see) told her that the anxiety she felt was normal, and she would be better in time. What Taylor didn't tell her therapist, is that she felt more than anxiety when she thought of Marsden, but also deep regret. She blamed herself for all four of the deaths, even though Olivia was adamant that it was in no way her fault.

Olivia had been at a stakeout one night and saw Taylor's familiar form slink into the cemetery across the street from her post. There hadn't been any action there all night, so she silently followed her sister into the grave yard and found her standing above the first victim's grave. Without Taylor saying anything, Liv knew that she blamed herself. Olivia spent a good part of the night in the warm grave yard, assuring Taylor in hushed tones that it wasn't her fault, that none of it was her fault.

Taylor smiled at the memory. It had been one of the first nights that she had been able to connect with the detective on a more personal level. It was also the night when she decided to let Olivia in. She had been used to taking care of and relying only on herself her whole life, never allowing anyone else to share her burden. She had never had anyone to just talk to. Olivia didn't try to tell her that everything was going to be okay, and she didn't try to force herself on to Taylor and act like she knew what was best. Taylor loved that about Olivia. Olivia would just listen to her when she needed to talk, and only offered her opinion, never really pushing Taylor into anything.

As both gained mutual trust for one another their walls came down. Going to lunch together became the norm, and they would talk about the happy parts of their childhoods, their lives now, just whatever. It was an easy relationship. One morning, after a particularly bad night of tossing and turning, Taylor let slip the nightmares. Olivia insisted that she see someone. They had argued, Taylor didn't see the point of paying to just talk to someone one. The next day Liv showed up at her apartment and practically dragged Taylor to a session she had set up. Taylor didn't want to admit it to Liv, but talking to her therapist worked, and she continued seeing him, even after she'd completed all three of the sessions that Liv had set up.

Taylor sat up, tired of reminiscing. She looked at the bedside alarm clock, only an hour had gone by. She felt it was ridiculous, but she was still uneasy about the letter. She grabbed her phone and shot Liv a text message, asking her to meet for coffee. She waited a few minutes, staring at a spot on the wall. Her phone vibrated. Liv would be getting off in a half hour. She got up and got dressed and made her way down to the parking garage. It seemed silly to get her car to travel the few blocks to shop, but she didn't want to walk alone, in the dark.

She arrived to the coffee shop early, but didn't mind waiting. She was just glad that Liv was willing to meet her on such short notice. When she thought about, she honestly couldn't imagine the last six months without Liv. She had been there for her so many times. As independent and strong as she was, Taylor was extremely grateful that she didn't have to make it on her own anymore.

Olivia pulled into the parking lot and saw Taylor in her car a few slots away. She watched Taylor step out and walk towards her. She could already see the girl was exhausted. The dark circles under her eye were visible from five feet away. Liv knew that something was bothering her and hoped that she could offer some solace to the hurting girl. Olivia hated how she and Taylor met, but if it hadn't happened, they wouldn't be there. She ran her DNA through that system before Taylor was entered into it; she would have never thought to run it again. When Liv thought about it, she realized that it was just chance that she even ever found Taylor. The first body was found right on the boundary of her jurisdiction. Elliot could have easily given the case over to the next precinct. But he didn't. Taylor's prints could have been too smudged on her old card to get a clear reading, but Warner found a full sample. Liv could have arrived to that apartment a few minutes later, and been too late, but she made it in time.

Of course both of them absolutely hated what had happened that summer. Four women were dead. Taylor traumatized. Their father in prison. But they did have each other.

**And we're done! Thanks do those who read/reviewed my story! I'm thinking I might do a sequel or another story with Taylor and Liv, but I don't know yet. Tell me what you think! Also, feel free to message me any questions/comments etc. etc. about the story **


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